RI diplomats donate Rp5.63 billion for W Sumatra quake victims

Antara News, Friday, October 15, 2010 14:04 WIB

Padang, West Sumatra (ANTARA News) - Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Triyono Wibowo handed over funds amounting to Rp5.63 billion collected from Indonesian diplomats, including ambassadors, overseas for victims of West Sumatra`s 2009 earthquake.

The vice minister presented the financial assistance at the West Sumatra governor`s office, here, Friday.

The funds collected by the foreign affairs ministry, was meant for education infrastructure renovations, including elementary schools in Padangpariaman, Bung Hatta University and Andalas University.

West Sumatra was rocked by 7.9-magnitude earthquake which devastated Padang city on and its surroundings on September 30, 2009, and killed at least 1,195 people.

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.

A number of hotels, restaurants and their supporting facilities were also destroyed. Of the 47 star-rated hotels in the province, 24 were damaged, 11 of which devastated, like the Ambacang, Rocky Plaza, Mariani, Nuasa and Hayam Wuruk hotels.

The West Sumatra`s Padang city administration alone suffered a loss of more than Rp7 trillion in the earthquake.

The loss included damage to clean water pipelines built under the city`s roads.