12 Feb 2004

Red Cross and Red Crescent Federation reveal extent of destruction in Nabire quake

7:47 pm on 12 February 2004

The death toll from last week's earthquakes in Indonesia's remote Papua region has risen to 37.

Meanwhile fresh tremors are rocking the region around the coastal town of Nabire, with one registering five point 3 on the Richter scale on Wednesday.

A Government official say there has been damage in remote, outlying areas, but reports of casualties are trickling in only slowly.

He says residents are being urged to stay in tents outside their houses because aftershocks are likely to be felt for another week.

Meanwhile a team from the Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent, says aid workers are positively embarrassed by the supplies pouring into the region from humanitarian agencies and overseas countries.

The team chief, Latifur Rahman, says power is now fully restored and water 50-percent restored, but the damage is extensive.

"PLAY AUDIO: PAPUA RED DESTRUCT"

2,000 houses damaged, 10 roads, nine bridges, 20 schools, five traditional markets, 30 religious structures, mosques, churches, temples, and also the hospital, power supply, water line, oil storage, local government food warehouse, local parliament building, these also been damaged.

Latifur Rahman of the Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in Jakarta.