Nabire crippled after earthquake

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.