As of Thursday afternoon, the death toll in the powerful earthquake that hit the West Sumatra province Wednesday has reached 529 people, an official at the Indonesian social ministry said on Thursday.

"All of the bodies were already sent to the hospitals in the province," the official who was identified as Novi was quoted by the detik.com as saying.

According to the official, most of the victims were from the province's capital city of Padang (376 people), followed by Pasaman (75), Padang Pariaman (62), Pariaman (11), Padang Panjang (3) and Solok (2).

A 7.6-magnitude earthquake hit West Sumatra province Wednesay morning, with Padang being hardest hit.