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Reconstruction of homes not yet started
Survivors of the 7
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urvivors of the 7.6-magnitude earthquake that devastated West Sumatra in September have been making use of salvaged material from their damaged homes to build small outhouse-sized huts to live in.
Others continue to stay in makeshift shelters or in undamaged parts of their homes, regardless of the inherent danger.
“We’re tired of staying in a tent,” Maryunis, 45, from Kampung Jawa in Pariaman, told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday as he helped Indonesian Red Cross volunteers build emergency homes.
He added he could not start rebuilding his own home because he lacked money. All that he and other survivors could do, he went on, was wait for the government reconstruction program.
“Unfortunately there hasn’t been any clear signs regarding how the government will deal with us survivors,” Maryunis said.
Today marks three months since the Sept. 30 quake ravaged Padangpariaman regency, Pariaman municipality and provincial capital Padang on the West Sumatra coast.
Yet no apparent reconstruction or rehabilitation programs by the government have cropped up.
Almost all the office buildings belonging to the provincial and local administrations have been abandoned.
Provincial administration officials say the reconstruction of all damaged office buildings will only begin in 2010, mostly with funding from the state.
Likewise, the reconstruction of moderately to heavily damaged homes has seen little to no progress, particularly in the worst-hit areas of Padang, Pariaman, Padangpariaman and Agam.
Provincial disaster management unit head Ade Edward said the first phase of the Rp 314 billion (US$33 million) reconstruction and rehabilitation fund had been disbursed in December.
Of that money, he went on, Rp 115 billion would be allocated to rebuilding heavily and moderately damaged homes. The rest will go toward other programs, including rebuilding infrastructure, funding social activities and looking after survivors.
“However, the disbursement of money for reconstructing homes will take some time, as it will go directly into each community’s bank account,” Ade said.
“The provincial administration is waiting for the list of these communities from the affected regency and municipal administrations.”
Provincial earthquake building assessment team head Febrin Anas Ismail said the first phase of the reconstruction would be carried out as a pilot project in the six worst-hit districts.
These include Patamuan in Padangpariaman regency, Koto Tangah (Padang), North Pariaman (Pariaman), Bayang (Pesisirselatan regency) and Luhak Nan Duo (Pasamanbarat).
The reconstruction of 786,795 damaged homes is expected to take at least three years to fully complete.
The first phase of reconstruction is expected to finish by May 2010.
