Damages sought for falling billboards

JAKARTA (JP): The City Council has asked the city administration to give adequate compensation to residents who suffered physical and/or material damages from falling billboards on Thursday.

"This is the responsibility of the City Revenue Agency, as it issued the permits to install the billboards," council speaker Edy Waluyo said on Friday.

None of the agency's officials could be reached for comment.

At least three billboards collapsed during heavy rain and strong winds on Thursday.

The first one was the Oil Shell billboard in Bendungan Hilir, Central Jakarta. The board fell onto five houses and injured a man named Sutrisno.

A small board belonging to the city police internal affairs corps at the Jakarta Police Headquarters on Jl. Sudirman was blown down, as was a three meters by 11 meters Park Royale billboard on Jl. Gatot Subroto, which fell onto a security post at around 11 a.m. (09)