Darkness envelops Madura for 3rd day

Darkness envelops Madura for 3rd day

JAKARTA (JP): Nights on Madura Island, East Java, are now
pitch dark and most activities requiring electricity have halted
following a power outage on Friday caused by damage to the
undersea main power cable.

The Kota Indah on Friday dropped its anchor on the 150,000
volt-cable and drug it across the ocean floor, causing billions
of rupiah in financial losses to state-owned electricity company
PLN, as well as yet untold losses due to the paralysis of most
economic activities on Madura.

Sunday was the third day without televisions, refrigerators
and most other household goods for residents throughout Sumenep
and Bangkalan regencies.

Emergency facilities on the island, with a population of three
million, however, are still able to function by using power
generators.

However, many people have expressed concern because officials
said that repairing the undersea cable could take between one to
six months.

Antara reported that despite the fact that telephone lines
still functioned, hundreds of telecommunications shops were
closed down because their computers were down.

Ice block factories, bakeries, salt factories, offices, auto
repair shops and other facilities also closed down.

Meanwhile, in some parts of Madura Island, people have begun
to use ublik (traditional lamps) for light.

The electric company has sent a number of power generators to
vital facilities. It also activated the local 14-30 megawatt
diesel electricity power plant to meet limited needs for
electricity.

"Material losses may reach billions of rupiah because the
damaged cable has to be replaced by a new one," said Basuki
Prayitno, a PLN official in Jakarta, on Saturday, as quoted by
Suara Pembaruan.

Basuki also said it would take at least six months to obtain a
new cable from abroad.

Local leaders have expressed concern that the crime rate would
increase because of the power outage. (01)