2,000 residents leave Nabire

2,000 residents leave Nabire

JAYAPURA, Papua: At least 2,000 residents of quake-hit Nabire
have left the town to find more suitable shelter elsewhere in
Papua or outside the province, according to witnesses.

Many residents have left Nabire because of continuing
aftershocks and also because of the threat of disease.

"Living in tents leaves people vulnerable to disease. Also,
there are still aftershocks, so we decided to leave Nabire," said
Wirda Fakaubun, a local resident, on Saturday.

There are now at least 1,000 people in Nabire suffering from
one of the many illnesses that have swept through the town in the
aftermath of the devastating Feb. 6 earthquake, an increase from
803 on Thursday.

According to the Papua Natural Disaster and Refugee Management
Task Force in Nabire, residents are suffering from malaria,
dysentery and respiratory problems.

Mardianto from the Nabire office of the Meteorology and
Geophysics Agency, predicted the aftershocks would stop by Feb.
18, saying they were dropping sharply in intensity.

At least 37 people died in the Feb. 6 quake, though this
figure might increase. Another 592 residents were injured in the
earthquake.

The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) presented aid on Saturday to
the victims of the quake. The aid, which was presented by PMI
chairman Mar'ie Muhammad to Nabire Regent A.P. Youw, included
2,000 jerricans and 2,000 mosquito nets. -- JP