Flood victims get new homes

BANDA ACEH, Aceh: Minister of Social Services Inten Soeweno opened yesterday 150 houses newly built by the Armed Forces for flood victims in East Aceh regency, Antara reported.

The ceremony was held in Bundar Karang Baru village, 466 kilometers east of here, said regency administration spokesman M. Basyir Hasan.

Flash floods hit the regency in Dec. 1995, inundating thousands of villages in 17 districts. The regency's 19 districts house a population of 502,657 people. The flood is believed to be the second biggest to hit the area since 1953.

Fifteen people were killed, ten were seriously injured and 1,383 others sustained light injuries in the disaster which lasted a week. Estimated financial losses were Rp 51.4 billion (US$21,872,340).

A total of 360 houses were swept away, 1,463 suffered heavy damage and 4,853 others slightly damaged.

Another 140 houses for the flood victims are being built on high grounds. (swe)