Berlin  - Germany on Thursday provided 1 million euros (1.45 million dollars) in emergency aid for victims of the devastating earthquake in Indonesia.

The money will be distributed to relief organizations so they can organize food, water, medicine and temporary accommodation for the thousands affected by the quake, the Foreign Ministry said.

A team of experts from the German Agency for Technical Relief was on its way to Indonesia to provide assistance to victims and help in the search for survivors, the ministry said in a statement.

At least 500 people were killed when the 7.6-magnitude quake struck the west coast of the island of Sumatra on Wednesday. (dpa)