Nabire crippled after earthquake

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura

Major aftershocks on Sunday measuring 5.6 on the Richter Scale caused even more damage to the already crippled town of Nabire, Papua, with panicked residents fleeing the town.

Local authorities have yet to confirm whether the aftershocks, which also hit the nearby area of Timika, had claimed more lives as the city was chaotic due to the fresh quake.

"We cannot give further details, but we are trying to determine steps to anticipate more possible aftershocks," Nabire's deputy police chief Comr. Wempey Batlayeri told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

Many buildings collapsed because of the aftershocks, causing hundreds of people to run in panic to avoid debris.

"We are also beginning to suffer from food shortages, and diseases are emerging as people choose to stay in the open air," the police said.

An earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter Scale hit the city on Friday, while another 59 aftershocks jolted the town on Saturday.

The quake practically cut Samabusa seaport into three, while the airport was severely damaged. Electricity and telephone lines are out, and a number of schools, mosques, churches, markets and houses were destroyed.

The quake also claimed the lives 13 people, with 43 people severely injured and at least 150 others with more minor injuries.

Nabire regent A.P. Youw said his administration would not be able to provide public services for at least the next two-weeks, and called for assistance from the provincial administration.

"It's possible that we cannot operate for the next two weeks as most government offices as well as other public facilities were severely damaged," regent Youw said on Sunday, as quoted by Antara.

He called on the provincial and central governments to provide more assistance, including medical supplies, generators, food and tents to provide shelter for the refugees.

Papua Governor J.P. Salossa visited the destroyed area on Saturday and promised more help would arrive.

He also said that the government would help build a new seaport as the destroyed Samabusa seaport would be difficult to repair.

The earthquake destroying Nabire is the second major quake to hit the sleepy town this year. In February this year, the town was hit by 6.9 earthquake, and this also caused severe damage.

The Nabire quake is the second major to hit the country this month. Three weeks ago a quake at the same level hit Alor regency in East Nusa Tenggara province.

The Alor earthquake killed 31 people and injured hundreds of others, forcing around 50,000 people to live in temporary shelters. They are still too afraid to return to their destroyed houses for fear of aftershocks.

Nevertheless, the local administration in Alor, with the help from the Indonesian Military, the National Police and local people, have began to construct temporary houses for victims in eight villages.

Alor regent Ans Takalapeta said on Sunday that the local authorities have managed to distribute donations to the isolated areas around the regency.