Storm kills three in Pinrang

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