The Jakarta Post, March 04, 2006
Storm ruins hundreds of houses in Ambon
M. Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon
High tides and heavy rain sparked by a tropical storm in Ambon, Maluku, have
destroyed hundreds of houses since Wednesday, forcing owners to seek refuge in
safer locations.
Besides damaging the residential areas, mostly along the coastline, the tides have
also devastated sea barriers and prevented interisland boats from operating.
As of Thursday evening at least 68 houses in Sirimau district had been destroyed,
forcing up to 778 residents to evacuate.
"Our house has been destroyed ... we have nothing," said Ahmad Tamher. Amhad
and his family are now staying at state elementary schools SDN 23 and SDN 32,
which are still under construction.
Maluku Governor Karel Albert Ralahalu, during a visit to the affected sites, said
officials had built public kitchens and toilets and had provided food, medicine and
drinking water to people displaced by the storm.
"The most important thing is medical services, especially for children," he said.
Meanwhile, Ambon Mayor Syarif Hadler said most of those houses devastated by the
high tides had been poorly built. "They were not suitable residential sites," he said.
The provincial administration and Ambon mayoralty plan to relocate everyone who lost
their homes.
Frantsin Pattinama, a forecaster at the Ambon Meteorology and Geophysics Office
said his office had warned about the high seas and strong winds since Wednesday,
through state radio RRI.
He said that Ambon should have entered the dry season in January, but instead the
level of rainfall was rising.
The bad weather has forced interisland passenger vessels to cease operation, forcing
passengers to reschedule their travel.
"I was going to go to Namlea (on nearby Buru island), but due to the absence of
vessels, I had to change my plans ... I am waiting for better conditions," said Ruslan
Umasugi of Namlea.
The Maloli, which sails between Ambon and West Maluku Tenggara regency, has
been berthed at Yos Sudarso Port for the last six days. "We have to wait for
permission to sail from state-owned shipping company PT Pelni. Bad weather has
forced us to postpone our journey," an unidentified employee of the ship said.
An official in Namlea, D. Tanase BA, said the Ambon-Namlea sea link had been
disrupted by the storm.
He said the sea barrier at Namlea port had been devastated, and residents living along
the coastline had been evacuated.
Photo:
RIDING OUT THE STORM: Hundreds of women, children and elderly people seek
shelter Friday in emergency tents in Ambon after high tides and heavy rain badly
damaged their homes. (JP/Azis Tunny)
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