Rebuilding to begin in Bengkulu

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)