Lembata Needs Rp300 Billion to Relocate Quake-Affected Residents

Kupang (Antara NTT) - The Lembata district government in East Nusa Tenggara Province needs Rp300 billion to relocate one thousand residents of two villages, affected by Wednesday`s destructive tectonic earthquake, to a safer location.

"The local government plans to relocate the people of the two villages on mountain slopes that are vulnerable to natural disasters to a safer area," Lembata Regional Secretary Karel Kia Burin remarked on Friday.

Burin said the budget of Rp300 billion, required by the Lembata district government, will be channeled for the construction of housing and infrastructure in the new residential areas.

According to Burin, the local government is seeking assistance of the central government, so that people who fall victim to the Lembata earthquake disaster, can settle in a safe location with adequate facilities.

Due to the earthquake, the residents of Lembata Lamagate Village, with a population of 351 people, and Wae Pukan Village, with a population of 461, need to be relocated.

Earlier, on Wednesday, an earthquake, measuring 4.9 on the Richter Scale, had jolted Lembata District and the surrounding areas at 7:10 a.m. local time.

The quake`s epicenter was located at 8.23 degrees southern latitude and 123.37 degrees eastern longitude, at a depth of 10 kilometers (km), some 29 km northwest of Lewoleba, Lembata, Hasanudin, head of the Kupang meteorology, geophysics, and climatology agency, noted.

The quake, rated as an MMI III-IV on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale, was felt by the residents of Lembata.

Some 40 houses in Lembata were damaged after a series of tremors jolted the area in the past two days, an official noted.

Some 11 houses suffered serious damage, while 29 others incurred minor damage, Lembata Vice District Head Thomas Ola Langoday had stated on Wednesday.

In addition, a 2-3 kilometer road was also buried in stones, disrupting access to the earthquake-hit villages, he noted.

The 4.9-magnitude earthquake was followed by aftershocks of small magnitude. Tens of buildings were damaged, and a road was buried in stones.

A total of 24 villages around Mount Ile Lewotolok have been affected by the earthquake, he added.

The earthquake forced 1,128 people to evacuate, with 748 of them being provided shelter at the official residence of the old district head, 224 taking refuge at their relatives` houses, and 161 taking shelter at the office of the Ile Ape sub-district head.