Alor quake toll continues to rise<\/p>\n
Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post\/Kupang<\/p>\n
The death toll from a powerful earthquake that jolted Alor island
\nin East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) rose to 25 on Tuesday as strong
\naftershocks continued to rattle the island.<\/p>\n
An 11-month-old girl named Margareth Moymoley passed away
\nTuesday morning and a 15-year-old boy died on Monday night as a
\nresult of aftershocks, according to Alberth Ouwboly of the relief
\ncenter in the island's main town of Kalabahi.<\/p>\n
The main quake, measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale, struck the
\nisland on Friday, badly injuring 118 people and damaging some
\n4,000 buildings, including churches, mosques, schools and Mali
\nAirport.<\/p>\n
The quake and aftershocks have also forced some 50,000 people
\nto flee to safer, open areas, with many of them suffering from
\nvarious communicable diseases, including diarrhea and malaria.<\/p>\n
Alor has a population of about 169,000 people.<\/p>\n
As of Tuesday afternoon, at least 685 aftershocks had been
\nrecorded by the seismograph, including one measuring 4.6 on the
\nRichter scale on Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n
The death toll is likely to rise as relief workers left on
\nfoot Tuesday for up to a two-day trek to assess the situation in
\nseveral villages where hundreds of people lived.<\/p>\n
At least nine villages were still isolated and not yet reached
\nby the rescue team. The nine villages are Tido, Kenari Mbara,
\nLipan, Mangantuati, Talbay, Pasi, Lakuati, Pasakdeta and Dapitau.<\/p>\n
\"These nine villages are out of reach as the roads and bridges
\nhave been damaged,\" said Mesakh Ngatabei, an officer from the
\nnatural disaster impact control agency.<\/p>\n
\"When the earthquake hit, interior villagers fled to the
\nhills. We don't know if any of those refugees died or were
\ninjured,\" said a government officer, Alberth Ouwboly.<\/p>\n
Albert said over the weekend that the entire population of
\nNorth East Alor district, about 8,000 residents, was believed to
\nhave been left homeless by the quake, which destroyed every
\npublic and private building there.<\/p>\n
Fewer than 500 tents had arrived since Friday's disaster,
\nleaving most victims of the quake sleeping without shelter, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Albert added that with the onset of rainy season imminent,
\nthere were fears of a disease outbreak if emergency shelter did
\nnot arrive fast.<\/p>\n
The central government allocated Rp 1 billion (US$111,000) to
\nrehabilitate damaged property and provide aid to the people
\naffected, said Alor regent Ans Takalepeta.<\/p>\n
\"Treatment given to the victims will be fully covered by the
\ngovernment,\" he said on a visit to some of the makeshift camps
\nwith four ministers on Monday after the disaster.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Alwi Shihab,
\nMinister of Social Services Bachtiar Chamsyah, Minister of Public
\nWorks Djoko Kirmanto and the Minister of Health Siti Fadilah
\nSupari visited the location to meet the victims on Monday.<\/p>\n
Alwi said the government would issue a regulation requiring
\npeople living in the area to build houses with quake-proof
\nconstruction.<\/p>\n
\"Such a regulation will save lives if another earthquake
\nhits,\" Alwi said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, located on the Pacific \"Rim of Fire\" noted for its
\nvolcanic and seismic activity, is one of the world's most
\nearthquake-prone regions.<\/p>\n
In February, at least 28 people died when a succession of
\npowerful earthquakes hit Papua province.<\/p>",
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