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)