Funds lacking for quake victims

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)