Indonesian quake damaged 6,000 buildings, to cost 12 million dollars

JAKARTA (AFP) Jan 05, 2004
A powerful earthquake that hit Indonesia's holiday islands of Bali and Lombok last week damaged more than 6,000 buildings and caused financial losses of 12 million dollars, officials said Monday.

At least 4,000 houses, 49 school buildings and 29 government office buildings in Bali's Karangasem district were damaged by the quake on Friday, said Stephanus Lando, an official at Bali's social affairs agency.

More than 2,000 homes and office buildings were damaged on neighbouring Lombok island, local official Nanang Samudra said.

Total financial losses on the two islands are estimated to be 102 billion rupiah (12.1 million dollars), according to figures from the two officials.

Three cabinet ministers visited the quake-hit islands on Sunday and handed over a total of 800 million rupiah in assistance to the local governments.

One person died of a heart attack due to the quake, which measured 6.1 on the Richter scale, and about 30 were injured. Its epicentre was under the seabed in the Lombok Strait separating the two islands.

Earthquakes are common in Indonesia, but press reports said the tremor was the worst in Bali since 1979. The archipelago is located on the 'Pacific Rim of Fire' noted for its volcanic and seismic activity.

TERRA.WIRE