Palu, C Sulawesi (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on Tuesday asked all parties to optimally maintain and utilize infrastructures built in Palu, Central Sulawesi, following the 2018 earthquake and tsunami.

"Infrastructures that have been built after the disasters must be maintained and utilized as well as possible so that community activities can fully return to normal, social activities and economic activities can run and recover," he said here.

On Tuesday, the President inaugurated several buildings that were reconstructed and built after the disasters, namely the Anutapura Medical Center Building at Anutapura Palu Regional Public Hospital, the campus of Datokarama Islamic State University, permanent housing, and residential infrastructures.

The earthquake and tsunami that hit Central Sulawesi in 2018 killed 3,340 people and damaged 68 thousand homes, causing an estimated loss of around Rp15 trillion.

Following the disasters, President Widodo issued a presidential instruction for post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction in the city.

According to him, the building of the Anutapura Palu Regional Public Hospital is the first in Indonesia to use a technology-based isolation system with lead rubber bearing (LRB) to withstand seismic pressure caused by earthquakes.

The Anutapura Medical Center's reconstruction was carried out on an area of 19 thousand square meters with a budget of Rp244 billion (US$15.46 million). The building houses an emergency room, obstetrics emergency department, polyclinic, radiology, laboratory, inpatient room, and central surgical installation.

"Under this building, there is a technology similar to a shock breaker. It will be flexible when an earthquake occurs," Widodo said.

He added that the reconstruction of the campus of Datokarama Islamic State University started in 2020 on an area spanning 34 thousand square meters, with the cost of the project reaching Rp139 billion (around US$8.80 million).

The reconstruction covered several learning facilities, lecture buildings, student centers, auditoriums, sports facilities, and other supporting facilities.
Meanwhile, the construction of permanent housing and residential infrastructures was begun in 2019 and undertaken at a cost of over Rp1 trillion (around US$63.31 million).

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Translator: Nur Amalia, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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