We ensure that the government will (help to) repair the damaged houses as well as public facilities and infrastructure, both in Tanimbar Islands District and Southwest Maluku District.
Ambon, Maluku (ANTARA) - The government will disburse aid for houses in the districts of Tanimbar Islands and Southwest Maluku, Maluku Province, that had incurred damage on account of the 7.5-magnitude (M) earthquake.

"We ensure that the government will (help) repair the damaged houses as well as public facilities and infrastructure, both in Tanimbar Islands District and Southwest Maluku District," Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Lieutenant General Suharyanto remarked here on Thursday.

Suharyanto made the statement after attending a disaster mitigation coordination meeting at the VIP Room of Pattimura International Airport in Ambon City, Maluku Province.

He stated that the government will provide Rp60 million for every severely damaged house, Rp30 million for moderately damaged house, and Rp15 million for slightly damaged house – the same amount of assistance distributed to the Cianjur quake victims in West Java Province.

According to BNPB’s Operations Management Center (Pusdalops), 203 houses were slightly damaged, five houses were moderately damaged, and 15 houses were heavily damaged in Tanimbar Islands District.

The earthquake also damaged the grandstand of Mandriak Field, seven churches, as well as some parts of the 3rd floor of the Head of Tanimbar Islands District’s office.

Furthermore, the shocks afflicted damage to a public senior high school and a Christian junior high school in the district.

Meanwhile, in Southwest Maluku District, the number of slightly, moderately, and heavily damaged houses reached 87 units, 32 units, and 22 units, respectively.

Seven churches in the district also experienced heavy damage due to the quake.

In addition, several health facilities in Maluku Province were damaged, including a regional hospital (RSUD), five community health centers (puskesmas), as well as three military health facilities.

A 7.5M earthquake rattled the province on Tuesday at 2:47 a.m. Eastern Indonesia Standard Time (WIT).

The epicenter of the quake was located at 7.37 degrees South Latitude and 130.23 degrees East Longitude, or at sea at a distance of 136 kilometers (km) northwest of West Southeastern Maluku, at a depth of 130 km.

Related news: 92 houses damaged in 7.5M quake in Tanimbar
Related news: 'Island' sighted near Tanimbar Islands after 7.5M quake

Translator: Penina Mayaut, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2023