UN appeals for 103 million dollars in aid for Indonesian quake victims

The United Nations appealed on Friday for 103 million U.S. dollars in aid for more than 200, 000 victims of last week's earthquake in the Indonesian island of Java.

The fund will be used to provide emergency shelter, medical assistance, clean water and sanitation, food and child protection over the next six months, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in announcing a response plan for the quake.

"Local health facilities continue to be overwhelmed, especially as the population has no homes to which to return," it said.

A dozen UN agencies responsible for areas ranging from health, food and children to development, labor and cultural affairs, are participating with non-government organization partners in the relief effort.

Measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale, the May 27 quake caused the heaviest damage in the Klaten and Bantul region of central Java, killing up to 6,200 people, according to government sources. The tremble also displaced at least 200,000 people and injured more than 50,000 others.

Source: Xinhua