Govt to build 1,000 temporary shelters in flood-hit Wasior

Antara News, Monday, October 18, 2010 19:28 WIB

Wasior, W Papua (ANTARA News) - The government will soon build 1,000 temporary shelters for victims of a flash flood that swept through Wasior town in West Papua province on October 4, a Public Works Ministry official said.

The temporary shelters would be built after the emergency response period ended, Amirudin, head of the settlement development sub-directorate at the ministry`s directorate of housing, planning and urban development, said here on Monday.

The emergency response period which was supposed to end on October 14 had been extended to the end of October at President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono`s request.

"Therefore, we will start building the temporary shelters after the end of the emergency response period," he said.

Amirudin said he could not yet ascertain technically the model of the temporary shelters.

"It is likely they will be built in the form of temporary barracks made of wood," he said.

He said it would take three weeks or more for the government to build the temporary shelters.

The relief foundation Aksi Cepat Tanggap (ACT) said earlier it would also build shelters to accommodate residents who lost their houses in the flash flood.

ACT Program Director Bayu Gawtama said the shelters equipped with public facilities could accommodate 70 to 100 families each, depending on the plot of land on which they were to be built.

Amirudin said the government hailed assistance from various parties to build temporary shelters in the flood-affected area.

Data from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency show at least 4,711 people who have fallen victim to the flash flood are currently being accommodated in Manokwari, around 240 km from Wasior. Some 2,554 others found shelters at their own initiative or moved in with relatives.

Around 2,652 victims have remained in Wasior but have been evacuated to emergency camps while 355 others have moved to Nabire.

The Wasior flash flood has reportedly killed at least 124 people, and left 123 others still missing.

The town was covered with mud, logs and rocks following the flood and badly needs heavy-duty equipment for evacuation and cleaning operations.

The flood also injured 853 people and forced 4,625 others to move to safer places.