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Thousands still need help after Indonesia quake

Church mobilizes aid for survivors, but returning home remains an uncertainty
Thousands still need help after Indonesia quake

A building on Alor Island in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province was flattened by a Nov. 4 earthquake that left thousands of people homeless in a predominantly Christian area. (Photo supplied by Father Daniel Banamtuan)

Published: November 19, 2015 04:31 AM GMT
Updated: November 18, 2015 06:24 PM GMT

About 7,000 people in a remote, mostly Christian part of Indonesia are surviving off donated supplies and are still living in fear following a Nov. 4 earthquake that damaged homes and churches, a priest who visited the survivors said.

Thousands of people on Alor Island, located off the eastern tip of Indonesia's Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara province, are surviving off donated supplies and food, two weeks after a 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck. Nobody was killed in the quake.

But Father Daniel Banamtuan from St. James Parish in Bukapiting, on Alor, said the earthquake has rattled many in his parish, reminding them of a 2004 quake that killed 24 people. Many are choosing to sleep in tents because they fear another tremor, the priest said.

"The people still have lingering trauma," said Father Banamtuan, who visited survivors in his parish Nov. 18. "They are afraid what happened in 2004 will happen again."

The priest said people displaced by this month's earthquake are receiving help — basic food supplies, tents and milk and health care for children. However, it remains unclear when the displaced residents will be able to return to their damaged homes or return to their jobs, he said.

The situation has prompted church leaders in Kupang Archdiocese, which includes Alor Island, to call on Catholics in local parishes to step in with help.

"Currently, we are mobilizing people … to collect aid for our brothers and sisters in Alor," said Kanisius Kusi, a layman who heads the archdiocesan social and economic development commission.

Kusi said parishes have donated tarpaulin tents, mosquito nets and sleeping mats, with some of the donations hauled by boat from Kupang, the provincial capital, to Alor.

At this stage, Kusi said, the priority is helping with basic survival, rather than the reconstruction of homes.

Tini Tadeus, head of the government's regional disaster agency, told ucanews.com that the rebuilding of homes will be discussed after all the damages are tabulated.

"The government will certainly help with the [reconstruction] budget," Tadeus said, adding that the agency estimated total losses of about 49.75 billion rupiah, or about US$3.68 million.

Maj. Dadi Gunawan, head of the disaster command post in Alor, said the quake damaged about 2,300 homes, of which 635 homes were badly damaged. It also hit at least 65 houses of worship; about one-third of these will need major repairs.

According to government statistics, at least three-quarters of the population of Alor Island is Christian.

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