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Indonesian Christians Seek Solace In Church

by VOA News

   Indonesian Christians sought solace Sunday in churches in the city of
   Palu, hard hit last week by an earthquake and a tsunami that roiled
   central Sulawesi, killing 1,763 people and seriously injuring some
   2,500 people.

   Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim country, but there are
   Christian communities throughout the archipelago.

   The spokesman for Indonesia's disaster agency, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho,
   says there are about 5,000 people still missing. He said the search for
   the victims would end on Thursday (October 11). Some 70,000 people have
   been displaced.

   The U.N. is seeking $50.5 million from the international community to
   provide relief for the 191,000 Indonesians affected by the natural
   disasters.

   The U.N. announced its plan Friday, saying it developed the program in
   consultation with its counterparts in the Indonesian government. The
   initiative outlines the support needed from the international community
   over the next three months.

   United Nations Resident Coordinator in Indonesia, Anita Nirody, said
   the full scale of the disaster and the recovery needs are becoming
   clear now that a week has passed. She said the plan not only includes
   immediate relief but also logistical support needed to deliver aid to
   those who need it.

   Meanwhile, Antara News reports Palu's main market has reopened, under
   tight security by armed guards. Traders told Indonesian news outlet
   they fear being raided by looters.

   Electricity has been restored to some parts of the city of more than
   370,000 residents, which endured the brunt of the disaster. Shops have
   reopened, a major phone network is back in operation, and a small
   number of commercial flights have resumed flying in and out of the
   city's wrecked airport.

   The 7.5 magnitude quake triggered a huge tsunami that turned scores of
   houses and buildings in Palu into mounds of debris. Roads and bridges
   were washed away, cutting off at least three districts near Palu with a
   combined population of more than 1 million people.

   Indonesia and its 18,000 islands are located along the Pacific Ocean's
   "Ring of Fire" and frequently are struck by earthquake, volcano and
   tsunami activity.

   In 2004, a 9.1-magnitude earthquake off Sumatra and a subsequent
   tsunami killed about 230,000 people in 14 Pacific countries. About half
   of those deaths occurred in Indonesia.

   Eva Mazrieva of VOA's Indonesian service contributed to this report.