Aid for Manado flood victims

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: Governor HZB Palaguna, on behalf of the people of South Sulawesi, handed over Rp 50 million and 20 tons of rice for the flood victims in Manado, North Sulawesi on Tuesday.

The aid was symbolically given to the head of the North Sulawesi Environmental Control Agency SA Kidangeng at the Sedona Hotel in Makassar.

According to Palaguna, the Manado tragedy was also a tragedy for the people of South Sulawesi. "We are all brothers in Sulawesi. We express our deepest condolences to all the Manado people and especially the relatives of the people killed in the disaster."

Meanwhile reports from Manado said that 14 people were killed and five others missing in the floods which hit Manado, Bitung and the regency of Minahasa in North Sulawesi between Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.

According to the provincial natural disaster management unit and local police, ten of those killed and three of those missing are residents of Minahasa. (27/sur)