Funds lacking for quake victims

MAJALENGKA, West Java (JP): The regent of quake-racked Majalengka, Tutty M. Anwar, said here on Saturday that her administration lacked funds to repair residents' houses heavily damaged in a recent quake.

"Under such circumstances, we are finding it difficult to raise funds to rebuild and repair residents' houses. We must provide cash for civil servants' salaries on Monday," she said, adding that an official request for aid would be sent to the provincial administration.

She said that the quake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale, which rocked 25 villages in the regency on Thursday, inflicted estimated financial losses of more than Rp 20 billion.

The epicenter of the quake was in the neighboring town of Ciamis. Tremors were also felt in the nearby towns of Tasikmalaya and Garut.

Recent records indicated on Saturday that 890 of the more than 7,200 houses damaged were in very poor condition.

No fatalities were reported in the quake.

Almost 160 mosques and 89 schools in the 25 villages were also damaged.

By Saturday, residents whose houses were damaged were still living in temporary shelters.

"They are traumatized," Tutty said, adding that she was waiting for technical guidance from the Meteorological and Geology Agency regarding the possible relocation of the people. (25/sur)