Storm kills three in Pinrang

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi: A storm swept through three districts of Pinrang regency, South Sulawesi, on Thursday evening, leaving three people dead and 249 houses, one mosque and a school building damaged.

Pinrang deputy regent Kadir Pais said on Friday that financial losses resulting from the disaster were estimated at Rp 1.5 billion (US$165,000). He added that the regency administration had disbursed Rp 1.5 million in cash and food assistance to the victims.

The three districts hit by the storm were Watang Sawitto, Mattiro Bulu and Tiroang. An electricity blackout lasting for more than four hours followed the storm.

State power company PT PLN Pinrang branch manager Khairil Wahyuni said that the disaster had cost the company Rp 70 million in losses as power to about 150 subscribers and eight low-voltage networks was disrupted.

The storm also demolished six houses in the Kabil and Telaga Punggur areas of Batam on the same day. No casualties were reported but the disaster caused public losses of tens of millions of rupiah. --JP