T

he National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has allocated a Rp 119.9 billion (US$12.4 million) budget for post-disaster reconstruction programs in Central Sulawesi.

Floods and earthquakes, which occurred across Central Sulawesi in 2012, have damaged thousands of homes, buildings, bridges and farming land.

The disasters have also claimed eight lives as well as leaving many more injured. In August Lindu district in Sigi regency was shaken by a 6.2-magnitude earthquake, while in July, flood and landslide hit Bangkep, Banggai regency.

BNPB chairman Syamsul Maarif said that the agency assist in the procurement of equipment as part of the disaster mitigation measures. He said that a shelter for displaced victims, which would be designated to be resistant to flood and earthquake damage, would also be built in Palu Bay.

“The construction of the shelter is just one of our plans for 2013. We will also build similar shelters in other regions across Indonesia,” said Maarif.

Palu and some other regencies in Central Sulawesi are prone to earthquakes because they sit on the 800-kilometer Palu Koro fault in the Makassar Strait.