Quake paralyzes economy in North, South Tapanuli

Apriadi Gunawan ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Medan   |  Fri, 05/23/2008 10:53 AM  |  The Archipelago

The 6.1 magnitude earthquake which struck North Sumatra province on Monday has crippled land transportation and badly affected economic activities in North and South Tapanuli regencies, local officials said Thursday.

"Local residents are complaining of huge losses because they have been unable to carry out business for the past four days because of the damaged roads," M.L. Tobing, a provincial administration spokesman, told The Jakarta Post.

Parts of the Central Trans-Sumatra Highway in Sipirok, Central Tapanuli, and Siborong-borong, North Tapanuli, sustained heavy damage from the earthquake.

Officials in the two regencies said many subdistricts, including Simangumban, Purbatua, Pahae Jae and Pahae Julu, have been isolated for four days, and many houses and schools were destroyed, although no fatalities have been reported.

Tobing said the damage has prevented crucial supplies of fuel and basic commodities from reaching the affected areas.

Robi Siregar, a shop owner in Pahae market in Central Tapanuli, said because of the damage, he could no longer transport his agricultural produce to Padang Sidempuan.

Restaurant owners in Aek Botik said they had to suspend their day-to-day operations because of a lack of travelers and bus and truck drivers who normally used the highway through the two regencies.

B.P. Siahaan, chairman of the North Tapanuli relief effort, said humanitarian aid, blankets and medicine were sent to the affected areas.

He said 266 houses, 11 schools, five churches and three mosques were destroyed in Simangumban subdistrict. Another 50 houses, two schools, a mosque and a church were destroyed in Purbatua, he said.

Alson Siregar, an official in charge of infrastructure maintenance in Siborong-borong, said his office would need at least 10 days to repair the damaged highway.

He said the highway, which connects North and South Tapanuli, was now closed down for repairs.

"We have brought in heavy equipment from Medan to help speed up the repairs," Alson said.

He said the region's post-quake economic recovery depended heavily on highway access.

Two units of heavy equipment and some dump trucks have been sent to Sipirok, but more equipment will be needed from the provincial capital Medan, Alson said.

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