Indonesia to build tsunami escape buildings

Singapore, Dec 26: The Indonesian government today said it would build tsunami escape buildings in several coastal resort areas to evacuate tourists and locals in the event of another natural disaster or earthquake hit the Ocean.

The buildings will be built on beaches with capacity to accommodate 400 to 500 people, the Indonesian Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said in Denpasark, Bali, on the sidelines of a tsunami evacuation drill in Sanur Beach together with State Minister of Environment Rachmat Witoelar and State Minister of Research and Technology Kusmayanto Kadiman.

The escape buildings will be constructed in Bali first, then in Pangandaran Beach, West Java and later in West Sumatra.

Each building would need a plot of land between 400 to 500 square meters to be provided by local regency or mayoralty administration.

A pilot project, to be completed next year, will be in Nusa Dua area where Bali Tourism Development Company has provided a 500-square-meter plot of land.

''This (project) will accelerate the ministry's program to provide safe and secure feelings for holidaymakers,''the Indonesian national news agency, Antara, quoted the minister as saying.

UNI

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