Quake survivors immunised, hospitals get relief

Bantul (Indonesia), May 31: Indonesian authorities started to immunise thousands of earthquake survivors against measles today and helicopters swept the devastated region on Java island to check for isolated victims.

Indonesia Health Minister Siti Fadillah Supari said the government was also evacuating patients from hospitals in the immediate area to more distant cities to relieve overcrowding.

''For now (the hospitals) are starting to get tidy and we have penetrated isolated areas using mobile clinics ... helicopters dispatch food while airlifting the patients. The supply of medicine is also flowing,'' she told Reuters.

''Today we are continuing to comb (the region) to make sure there are no untouched areas.'' The death toll from Saturday's quake had reached 5,846 as of today and around 130,000 were listed as homeless.

So far there are no signs of any outbreaks of disease, but medicines were being sent to affected areas to prevent diseases such as measles and malaria.

The 6.3 magnitude quake, which was centred just off the Indian Ocean coast near Yogyakarta, wrecked some infrastructure like water pipes and pumps. Adding to the challenges of delivering shelter, clean water and food to those in need are the wide area affected and poor roads.

Around the Bantul area hardest hit by the quake, entire villages were destroyed, homes reduced to piles of wood, tiles and tin, and survivors used whatever they could find to construct makeshift tents.

Asian Development Bank President Haruhiko Kuroda said late yesterday that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's government had learned from the December 26, 2004, Indian Ocean quake and subsequent tsunami that left 170,000 Indonesians killed or missing.

''This time the government was very quick in responding to the need,'' Kuroda told Reuters, praising the administration for restoring electricity and other utilities quickly.

AID SLOW TO ARRIVE

Dozens of countries ranging from Japan and the United States to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have pledged cash, emergency supplies and personnel, and UN agencies and private international organisations like the Red Cross began moving aid in shortly after Saturday morning's quake.

Much of the aid is being airlifted to the airport of the ancient royal capital of Yogyakarta, the main city in the afflicted area, where Japanese paramedics and US Marines medical personnel are among those who have landed to reinforce government aid and workers.

But today morning in the Bantul area, residents of Sampangan Kidul village said proper shelter and goods were still slow in coming.

''I want to make a hut, because our tents right now do not have proper roofs,'' said Marsan, 45, who lost his house in the quake, estimated to have flattened more than 30,000 structures.

''The government has not given us any tents. We have only received noodles from them. When rain comes, our shelter gets flooded ... I really hope that the government will come with aid.

''We are all weak, but we try not to feel it because we do not have any choice,'' he added.

On the village outskirts Partini sat on the rubble of her destroyed house feeding chicken and rice to her seven-year-old son, whose home was also destroyed.

''Yesterday a car just suddenly came and they gave us food. But you cannot predict these things ... I'm saving the food because you don't know when the next car will give you food.'' Edward Beigbeder, head of the UN children's fund operation in Yogyakarta, said that incoming aid was insufficient to meet demand.''We're doing a race against the clock,'' he said.

The government has set aside relief funds of 100 billion rupiah for the next three months. A year of reconstruction and rehabilitation will begin after August, costing the government 1.1 trillion rupiah.

REUTERS

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