Devastating Earthquake in Padang,Sumatra,Indonesia

On Semptember 30, local time, the Indonesian city of Padang experienced a7.6 magnitude earthquake. This city, on the island of Sumatra, contains over 900,000 citizens. Padang is one of the world's most vulnerable areas to seismic activity because the islands lay ontop of the Volatile Fault Zone. The nation's Social Affairs Ministry says that "This disaster has taken atleast 529 innocent lives". And Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency stated that "500 buildings collapsed during the disaster with thousands trapped under rubble". Some of these buildings that collapsed include Hospitals, mosques, and schools. Areas closer the the earthquakes epicenter endured landslides that have cut the areas off and have left the areas without power and fighting rain. "The Indonesian Governemnt has commited $10 million to the relief effort.


The Volatile Fault Zone has created other Natural Disasters of the past including the 2004 incident in Aceh that killed 130,000, the 2006 disaster that took more than 5,000 citizens in Yogyakarta. And the recent 2009 earthquake in the South Pacific Samoan islands that took over 100 people.

As Hannah Beech stated in her article

Earlier this year, Padang mayor Fauzi Bahar told al-Jazeera television that he had asked for funds for potential earthquake relief and management given his city's precarious position on a tectonic fault line. His request, he said, was turned down by national authorities. In retrospect, the denial may look unwise. But Indonesia is a cash-strapped country with many cities located in unstable geological sites. As Padang digs out from this latest devastation, other Indonesians are no doubt wondering who will be the next target of nature's wrath.

Why was Fauzi Bahar's request for potential earthquake relief and management turned down? Doesn't the National Authorities want to help out the cities, and try to help in disaster relief?