15 Dec 2004

Damage from Papua quake estimated at 55 million US at least

5:00 pm on 15 December 2004

The World Health Organisation says the damage from the Nabire earthquake in the Indonesian Province of Papua is estimated at least at 55 million US dollars.

Dr Kyaw Win, who works for the WHO's Emergency and Humanitarian Action team, says the figure is likely to be even higher, as there are still areas that haven't been reached.

He says there was extensive damage to several health centres, but not to Nabire hospital.

Dr Win says the power station was also damaged, but power has been restored to the hospital and to police.

"According to the information, there is about like 4,573 houses, 66 worship places - the religious places, 146 schools, 51 offices, 24 stores and 23 bridges destroyed or damaged."

He says repairs are underway to the port but the airport is still damaged, preventing large planes from landing.

Dr Win says there are around 2,500 cases of malaria, respiratory and diarrhoea, and 31 confirmed deaths from the November the 25th earthquake.