Govt starts building temporary houses for Merapi refugees

Erwida Maulia, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 11/22/2010 9:20 PM

National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) secretary Fatchul Hadi says the government has kicked off the construction of 300 temporary housing units for people displaced by the Mount Merapi eruptions.

The temporary houses would be prioritized for those living nearest to the volcano’s crater as their residences were the most severely damaged by the ongoing volcanic eruptions, Fatchul said.

“We’ve laid the first stones, and will begin by constructing 300 units. We’re still monitoring the activities of Merapi and may eventually build between 3,000 and 5,000 units,” he told a press conference at the Vice Presidential Office after a Cabinet meeting discussing rehabilitation and reconstruction plans in three disaster-struck areas: Wasior in West Papua, Mentawai in West Sumatra and areas surrounding Mount Merapi in Yogyakarta and Central Java.

Fatchul said it could not be decided yet exactly how many temporary houses would be built to accommodate people displaced by the volcanic eruptions because volatile seismic activity continues to persist.

Secretary to the Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare Indroyono Soesilo said the number of Merapi refugees had now declined to 200,000 from a peak of  400,000 two weeks ago

Ark Hotel Construction time lapse building 15 storeys in 2 days

Video: Ark Hotel

Archdaily, By Kelly Minner — Filed under: Videos , China, Shanghai, Nov 10, 2010

Only in China could we find a video featuring the construction of the 15 story Ark Hotel built in 6 days. Located in Changsa this building is level 9 earthquake resistant and incorporates some sustainable practices.

PLN provides solar power generators for Mentawai

Antara News, Wednesday, November 3, 2010 21:11 WIB

Padang, W Sumatra (ANTARA News) - State-owned power utility company PLN provided 60 sets of solar power generators (PLTS) for the victims of earthquake and its subsequent tsunami disasters in Mentawai Islands, West Sumatra, a PLN official said.

"The 60 sets of PLTS will be sent to the evacuation centers to provide the victims with lighting," PLN Operation Director for Western Indonesia Harry Jaya Pahlawan said here on Wednesday.

He said that one set of PLTS consisted of three 100 watt lamps and one solar panel. "Each PLTS is able to turn on a 300 watt lamp and could last for 6 to 8 hours," he said.

Harry said that the PLTS were badly needed by the disaster`s survivors which were not staying at refugee camps. After all the power generators (PLTG) network in Sikakap subdistrict, Mentawai district, had not yet functioned.

On October 25, 2010, a magnitude-7.2 earthquake and a subsequent tsunami hit the Mentawai Islands district, West Sumatra, killing at least 408 people and caused no less than 303 others to go missing.

A total of 270 people are seriously injured and 142 lightly injured in the disaster. The 7.2 magnitude temblor and the tsunami devastated 517 buildings and cast minor damage to 204 buildings.

A total of 22,595 residents of the total 26,004 dwelling in Bumi Sikkerei were reported to be evacuated in safe places.

Governor Orders Construction of Bamboo Shacks for Conjugal Visits for Volcano Victims

Jakarta Globe, November 02, 2010

Jakarta. Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X has ordered the construction of bamboo shelters for families displaced by the Merapi volcano disaster to allow for privacy, including for married couples who wish to engage in sexual activity.

Merapi evacuees having a meal at a
shelter.Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan
Hamengkubuwono X planned to build one
shelter for one refugee family to provide
privacy. (Antara Photo)

“[On Monday] we received an instruction from the governor to build each family a shelter,” Sleman district deputy head deputy Yuni Rahayu told Detik.com. “The special shelter is necessary so children can study and husbands and wives can conduct their sexual activities in private.”

With predictions the eruptions could continue for months and that the rebuilding process for those who lost homes even longer, Yuni said the shelters would need to accommodate 13,000 refugees.

He said the three x four meter structures would be manufactured from bamboo.

All natural: The Green School in Bali features bamboo construction
engineered into a more modern look. JP/ Zul Trio Anggono

Related Articles:

Haiti earthquake relief: How bamboo can help

More info related to Bamboo ...