Railway company suffers Rp 16.5b loss from West Sumatra quake

State-owned train operator company PT KA claimed it has suffered a total of Rp 16.5 billion (US$1.75 million) in damages caused by the 7.9-magnitude quake that hit West Sumatra earlier this month.

Yudith Harrianto, head of PT KA Regional II Division, told tempointeraktif.com Tuesday that a train station in Simpang Haru and parts of railway tracks sunk after the quake.

Yudith said there was 700 meter long railway track that sunk between Lubuk Alung and Pauh Kamba in Padang Pariaman regency, the worst hit area in the disaster.

“We have repaired the line however. We have also repaired a line from Indarung to Teluk Bayur, which is used for transportation by state-owned cement factory PT Semen Padang,” Yudith said.

The company plans to provide free train trip from Padang City to Padang Pariaman for those whose family affected by the quake.