Alor people rebuild homes, many schools stay shut

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang

Most schools remain closed in Alor two weeks after a powerful earthquake that killed at least 34 people and damaged thousands of buildings in the regency.

On Thursday, residents and children were seen cleaning up debris in schools and erecting makeshift tents to allow about 3,000 students to resume their studies.

A few schools, which were only lightly damaged by the 6.4 Richter scale shock, have resumed classes.

"We expect most students will be able to restart their lessons by next week," said Amin Dopu, the administration's deputy chief of Refugee and Disaster Management.

Other Alor residents had begun rebuilding their homes after the government provided them with building materials, Alor Deputy Regent Abraham Maulaka said.

Rebuilding was a priority as rain had begun to fall in the area during the past few days in the start of the wet season, Maulaka said, quoted by Antara news agency.

Soon the government would start repairing public infrastructure damaged during the quake, he said.

Hundreds of residents injured in the disaster had been allowed to return home from hospitals in the region and only four people remained in intensive care, hospital staff said.

Residents and Alor government officials expressed their concern over the central government's refusal to declare the earthquake a national disaster, which was confirmed recently Minister of Social Services Bachtiar Chamsyah.

"The earthquake has killed 34, injured hundreds of residents and damaged thousands of buildings, so there is no reason not to declare it a national disaster," Maulaka said.

Maulaka praised the central government for providing aid but stressed his people needed more.

Separately, New Zealand will donate aid to provide shelter, food and basic items to victims of the massive earthquake, Aid Minister Marian Hobbs has announced, quoted as saying by DPA news agency.

Alor is a remote area in East Nusa Tenggara province which New Zealand has targeted in its regular aid program for Indonesia and will get an additional 50,000 New Zealand dollars (about US$35,000) to be distributed through the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Hobbs said the money would be used to provide temporary shelter material, mosquito nets and essential item kits to about 20,000 people in the most vulnerable households.