Cianjur, West Java (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) affirmed that relocation of houses affected by the 5.6-magnitude earthquake in Cianjur District, West Java, in November will be selective, as priority would be accorded to homes located in vulnerable zones.

The president remarked that damaged homes located outside the vulnerable zones would be rebuilt through the government's assistance and not be relocated.

"Only homes located at the quake's epicentre and vulnerable zones in Cugenang Sub-district would be evacuated, while houses or hamlets in regions considered safe by BMKG (Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency) would be rebuilt on Thursday (December 8)," Jokowi stated during his visit to a relocation area in Sirnagalih Village, Cilaku Sub-district, here, Monday.

The president said 200 houses would be developed in Sirnagalih and 1,600 more would be developed in other areas for residents relocating from areas most affected by the quake in Cugenang Sub-district.

The houses will be reconstructed by applying earthquake-proof construction technology to make them safer for residents, he revealed while adding that residents whose damaged homes are located in areas assessed as safe will receive assistance.

Meanwhile, apart from the residents' houses, the government will also assist in the reconstruction of schools and Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) damaged by the earthquake in Jambudipa Village, Warungkondang Sub-district, the president noted.

Assistance for schools would be disbursed next Thursday after the verification process is complete, he added.

"Schools and pesantrens located in safer areas will receive reconstruction assistance from the government," Jokowi remarked after meeting Darul Falah Pesantren administrators in Warungkondang Sub-district.

On November 21, a 5.6-magnitude earthquake rattled Cianjur District, West Java, at 1:21 p.m. local time. It was centered 10 kilometers (km) southwest of the district at a depth of 10 km. It did not have the potential to trigger a tsunami.

Until December 3, some 331 lives were lost, eight people went missing, 593 people sustained serious injuries, 59 people are undergoing treatment at Cianjur Hospital, and 114,683 people fled their homes to move to evacuation posts due to the earthquake.


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Translator: Ahmad Fikri, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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