WEST SUMATRA EXPECTED TO RECOVER SOON AFTER QUAKE

By Andi Abdussalam

    Jakarta, Oct 3 (ANTARA) - As the emergency response has been running well, economic and social activities in West Sumatra particularly its provincial capital Padang City, and other regions which were shattered by a strong earthquake last Wednesday are expected to recover soon.

        On Saturday, public activities and distribution of basic needs began to show their dynamism. "With this condition, the second phase of the emergency response could already be commenced," Vice President Jusuf Kalla said after observing quake-hit locations in West Sumatra on Saturday.

        The government has set aside Rp100 billion in emergency response funds for the handling of the impact of the magnitude-7.6 earthquake which crippled Padang City and killed at least 600 people and caused over 300 others missing.

        According to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the Rp100 billion funds should be used to finance activities in safeguarding victims' lives and assist them over a two-month period.

        "But if the emergency response could be finished in less than two months, the rehabilitation and reconstruction phases could be started soon with more funds the amount of which would be decided later," the president said.

        Therefore, President Yudhoyono said he had ordered the bureaucracy not to hamper the disbursement of the emergency response. "The Rp100 billion funds should flow smoothly. There should be no bureaucratic hindrance. Expedience is important as this is an emergency situation," he said.

        The earthquake has destroyed infrastructures and other public facilities. Data released on Saturday showed that a total of 15,159 building structures were destroyed, 3,980 damaged and 6,737 others were affected.

        Communications were disrupted, electricity supplies were cut off and water for public consumption ran short. Price of gasoline was sky-rocketing as supplies were scarce due to damage to gasoline stations or due to the fact they were left unattended by employees who were evacuated.

        On Saturday, according to Vice President Jusuf Kalla, water and power, fuel oil supplies began to run well again, although not all regions could already been provided with the services.

        The vice president said that economic activities had also begun to show their dynamism as indicated by the trade activities on the basic needs in a number of places.

        "The same thing also happened with the dispatch of fuel oils to fuel stations so that the long lines of consumers have been reduced," the vice president said.

        Disrupted communications services are also returning to normal, including cellular phone services, he said.

        Most of PT Telkom's telecommunication services such as fixed telephone and fixed wireless access (FWA) TelkomFlexi in quake-devastated West Sumatra are now functioning again.

        "TelkomFlexi services are back to normal, subscribers can call other people in or outside West Sumatra, or receive calls from inside or outside West Sumatra," PT Telkom's public communication and marketing director, Eddy Kurnia, said on Saturday.

        The restoration of Telkom's communication services was at least facilitating the processes of evacuating and further handling earthquake victims.

        At present, 48 of Telkom's 85 Flexi Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) in West Sumatra were functioning normally again. Of the 48 BTS, 9 were serving the 0751 area code, 18 the 0752, 3 the 0753, 9 of the 0754 and 9 of the 0755. Most of the Automatic Telephone Exchange Terminals (STOs) were working again with electricity from generators.

        In the meantime, state-owned oil firm Pertamina said about 50 percent of gasoline stations in Padang are now back in operation after being shut down because of the tectonic earthquake.

        The company's vice president for communications, Basuki Trikora Putra, said here on Friday, a total of 14 gasoline stations were operating in Padang city on Thursday night.

        "On Thursday morning only six stations were operating but by night 14 gas stations were in business again and this is 50 percent of the total number of gasoline stations in Padang," he said.

        He said Pertamina would do its best to help gasoline refueling stations in the quake-battered city to open again so that fuel oil supply in city could return to normal as soon as possible.

        On the emergency response efforts, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said that they had been running well. "I have checked the emergency response activity in the worst hit areas and I found things running well," the vice president said.

        The evacuation process was primarily for survivors, and also for previously missing people and dead bodies. Rescue workers were being assisted by police and military personnel, as well as domestic and foreign volunteers. Food stocks and medical supplies are enough to support the emergency response process. In addition, hospital services also are functioning well with the support of medical teams from overseas.

        With the emergency response efforts, assistance from outside the province, including one coming from overseas, the economic conditions and social activities of West Sumatra are expected to recover.

        "We are optimistic that in the coming three months, West Sumatra would be restored and rise againt," Padang City Deputy Mayor Marlis Rahman said.

        He said that West Sumatra which received assistance from many parties, including from the central government and foreign countries would continue to make efforts to restore its economy.

        "We have instructed that next Monday regional government apparatuses would begin providing services for the people again, even it in the emergency situation," the deputy mayor said. (T.A014/A/HAJM/19:30/.... )