W. Sumatra loses Rp 14b to disasters
W. Sumatra loses Rp 14b to disasters
PADANG, West Sumatra: A total of 18 natural disasters --
floods, fires, earthquakes and landslides -- from January to
April 2003 has cost the West Sumatra administration Rp 14 billion
(US$1.7 million) in material losses.
Fachril Murad, an official with the administration, said on
Friday that the province's topography made it susceptible to
natural disasters. West Sumatra is surrounded by two lakes, seven
mountains, several valleys and the Mentawai Strait.
Unchecked illegal logging and related activities are other
factors that help trigger the disasters.
Fachril said that the administration needed to be able to
detect the natural disasters to avoid casualties, and had thus
decided to hold a natural disaster management workshop. The
workshop will run from June 23 to June 26, and involve 40
participants from various community and public organizations.
He hoped that the participants would be able to train more
people in their respective areas so that they could cope with the
natural disasters. -- Antara
;ANTARA;
ANPAa..r..
Across-PMI-public-baths
PMI starts building public baths
JP/5/ACROSS
PMI starts building public baths
BENGKULU CITY, Bengkulu: The Bengkulu chapter of the
Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) has started building 87 units of
public baths and toilets in Sukasari village, Sukaraja district
with Rp 450 million (US$54,880) in aid from the Singapore Red
Cross and an additional Rp 250 million from PMI.
Construction on the public baths is expected to be finished in
five months.
The head of the PMI provincial chapter, Wahiddun Nurdin
Djangjaja, said that the Singapore Red Cross had agreed to fund
the public bathing facilities after the village was hit by an
earthquake registering 7.3 on the Richter scale on June 6, 2000.
"Each unit will be shared by three villagers," he said. "We
hope the public baths and toilets will improve sanitation in the
neighborhood and reduce possible cases of diarrhea."
A total of 94 people were killed and hundreds of others were
injured in the quake that caused Rp 310 billion in material
losses. -- Antara