Government inaction as quake victims suffer<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Thousands of people in the remote Papuan district of Ransiki,
\nliving in fear after last Thursday's earthquake, are running out
\nof food and water and are still waiting for government help.<\/p>\n
Disaster coordinator First Insp. Bachtiar said the residents
\nhad asked the Manokwari regency administration to evacuate them
\nto safety.<\/p>\n
Bachtiar said the people were afraid another quake would cause
\ntheir homes to be swallowed by a five-kilometer-long crack caused
\nby the first quake.<\/p>\n
The quake, measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale, jolted
\nManokwari last week, leaving at least five people dead, more than
\n170 injured and more than 120 buildings damaged. Rensiki, 90
\nkilometers south of Manokwari, was the worst hit district.<\/p>\n
Among the casualties were a policeman who died after he was
\nhit by falling debris from a mosque and two infants who were
\nkilled after their homes collapsed,<\/p>\n
Many areas were isolated after the quake caused landslides
\nwhich blocked the road, while 37-kilometers of road between the
\ndistricts of Ransiki and Anggi slumped.<\/p>\n
\"A series of smaller aftershocks followed the powerful quake,
\nforcing thousands of residents to stay outdoors,\" Bachtiar said
\nas quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
Almost all of the houses in Ransiki were inhabitable.
\nResidents and people from the neighboring districts of Oransbari
\nand Anggi have been living in makeshift shelters built under
\ntrees.<\/p>\n
\"They are waiting for government assistance in the form of
\nfood, medicine and tents,\" Bachtiar said.<\/p>\n
He suggested the regency administration deploy a team of
\nscientists to study the crack and its impact on the land.<\/p>\n
Water is hard to find as some wells were holed and drained.
\nElectricity is still cut off and schools and offices have been
\nclosed indefinitely.<\/p>\n
Ransiki district secretary Insyur said that people were in
\ndire need of food, medicine and tents. He said that any
\nassistance should be delivered by air because land transportation
\nwas cut off.<\/p>\n
Insyur concurred saying much needed supplies needed to be
\nairdropped.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Jakarta Meteorology and Geophysics agency predicted
\nthe quakes would stop in the near future.<\/p>\n
Manokwari is susceptible to earthquake, which has always
\nshaken the regency every year.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian archipelago is one of the world's most
\nearthquake-prone regions, sitting on the so-called \"Pacific Rim
\nof Fire\" infamous for its volcanic and seismic activity. It
\nregularly experiences quakes of more than 5.0 on the Richter
\nscale.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-inaction-as-quake-victims-suffer-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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