Pekanbaru - In addition to Rp100 billion in emergency response funds, the government has also allocated Rp6 trillion for quake-devastated West Sumatra`s rehabilitation and reconstruction, a minister said.

Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare Aburizal Bakrie made the statement here Monday on the sidelines of preparations to stage a Golkar Party national congress to elect a new chairman.

The minister said that of the total amount, Rp4 trillion would be allocated for reconstruction of people`s houses which were destroyed in last Wednesday`s powerful earthquake, Rp1 trillion for reconstruction of schools and public facilities, and Rp100 billion for the reconstruction of roads, bridges, and other infrastructures.

"The government will make every possible effort to rebuild Padang and Pariaman cities, especially schools and public facilities which were devastated by a magnitude-7.6 earthquake last Wednesday," Aburizal said.

Aburizal said the funds would be disbursed soon after the public works ministry had completed a verification of the damages.

The people`s welfare minister said the rehabilitation and reconstruction funds would be provided by the central as well as provincial governments.

Commenting on the handling of quake victims , the minister said everything was running well but the voluntary teams found it difficult to retrieve bodies buried under the rubble of collapsed houses and buildings.

"Therefore, the government badly needs adequate heavy-duty equipment to evacuate the bodies," Aburizal said, adding that evacuation was difficult because of the shortage of adequate heavy-duty equipment.

Meanwhile, West Sumatra Governor Gamawan Fauzi said on Sunday that the death toll of the earthquake had reached 603, but the number of dead victims continued to increase because evacuation teams had succeeded in lifting victims trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings of a hotel and a course center in Padang City.

In the meantime, the number of those still missing was recorded at 324 which were still being searched for by the evacuating teams.

The earthquake also destroyed 21,732 houses, caused heavy damage to 6,721 homes and minor damage to 9,572 others.

Houses destroyed were found in Padang City (150 units), Bukittinggi (180), Padang Panjang (160), Tanah Datar (24), Padang Pariaman (10,131), Agam (8,548), Dharmasraya (89), Pasaman (111), Pasaman Barat (1,012) and southern coastal areas (1,320).

A total of 200 units of damaged houses were found in Padang city, in Tanah Datar (440, Agam (2,796), Dharmasraya (105), Psaman Barat (730), and southern coastal areas (2,846).

-Antara, 05 October 2009-