Rebuilding to begin in Bengkulu

BENGKULU, Bengkulu: State oil company Pertamina, steel producer Krakatau Steel and private television channel Indosiar have been named sponsors of a construction project to rebuild public facilities damaged by a powerful earthquake earlier this month.

Governor Hasan Zen told Antara on Wednesday that the sponsors would construct elementary school buildings, medical facilities and doctors' residences.

Hasan said that the sponsors were needed as donations raised from the public did not cover the cost of rebuilding the facilities, while the disbursement of the government's relief fund would take a long time.

According to Hasan, donations from the public had reached Rp 2.3 billion, whereas the reconstruction project would cost more than Rp 200 billion.

The project will cover 103 community health centers, 128 houses for doctors and paramedics, hospitals and school buildings.

An earthquake measuring 7.3 on Richter scale shook Bengkulu on June 4, leaving 94 people dead, nearly 2,800 others injured and more than 40,000 houses damaged. The total material losses were estimated at about Rp 400 million. (09)