Quake victims find shelter in Batam<\/p>\n
Fadli , The Jakarta Post, Batam<\/p>\n
Traumatized and hungry and waiting for government aid that never
\ncame, Serupa Sarumaha breathed a sigh of relief after his wife
\nand three children reached a community shelter in Batam city on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
Along with 15 other refugees, the 26-year-old from Bawah Loa
\nLani vil lage in Teluk Dalam, South Nias, arrived at the barracks
\nrun by the Nias Oikumene Community Organization. Serupa said he
\nand his family were still in shock after the earthquake.<\/p>\n
They had left for Batam with little money in their pockets but
\nwith hope as they knew there were some Nias people in Batam
\nwilling to help them, he said.<\/p>\n
\"We were starving there; not getting any food aid. We were
\nalso scared of the aftershocks,\" Serupa told The Jakarta Post
\nlate on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The group traveled from their village onboard a barge to
\nSibolga in Tapanuli Tengah, North Sumatra. From there they took a
\nsix-hour trip by bus to Dumai in Riau and a ferry to Batam.<\/p>\n
\"My house is completely ruined. All of my belongings are gone.
\nFortunately, my children are still little and don't ask too many
\nquestions,\" the trader said.<\/p>\n
Another refugee, 22-year-old Adi Layla, said it was hard for
\nthe residents to get food, such as rice, after the quake. He and
\nhis family only received biscuits and mineral water from a nearby
\naid post.<\/p>\n
\"I am used to eating rice, as how can I live on biscuits only.
\nI left because I didn't want to stay hungry,\" Adi said. \"I was
\nalso scared about the aftershocks. I heard there were Nias people
\nin Batam who are willing to take us in,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The Nias community organization in Batam predicted that more
\nquake victims would arrive in the city, saying that many were
\ncalling the center, wanting out of the quake-hit island.<\/p>\n
\"They come here because they're not getting help in Nias. They
\narrive here hungry. I regret the government's slow response to
\nassisting quake victims in Nias,\" said group member Iskandar
\nDachi.<\/p>\n
Until Wednesday, the shelter accommodated 16 quake victims --
\n10 adults and six children, all them coming from Bawah Loa Lani
\nvillage.<\/p>\n
The organization's chairman, Yaaro Zebua, said the
\norganization would keep taking in the quake victims into its
\nshop-house-turned shelter.<\/p>\n
\"We don't know until how we'll accommodate all of them here.
\nFor the meantime, we can provide their meals, but we also ask the
\ngovernment to pay attention to their future,\" Yaaro said. \"It's
\nsad to know that they're starving.\"<\/p>\n
The 8.7-magnitude quake rocked the island last week,
\ndestroying most buildings and claiming more than 500 lives.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/quake-victims-find-shelter-in-batam-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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