The Cianjur district government in West Java province is preparing assistance for orphans who lost their parents due to the 5.6-magnitude earthquake that struck the area on November 21, 2022.

Cianjur district’s Social Service is coordinating with other agencies to provide assistance to at least 135 children who lost their parents in the earthquake, secretary of the Social Service, Dindin Amaludin, said here on Tuesday.

“They will be proposed to become adopted children of employees in Cianjur district, especially those who have lost both parents,” Amaludin informed.

Based on the results of cross-agency coordination, the Youth, Sports, and Education Service will also provide tuition assistance up to the high-school level for children whose parents died in the earthquake, he added.

In addition, the local government will provide assistance in the form of living expenses to children orphaned in the earthquake, Amaludin informed.

According to data from the Cianjur district government, 105 children lost one parent and 30 children lost both parents in the quake.

“Most of their parents died as a result of being hit by collapsed houses due to the earthquake and victims buried in landslides that occurred due to the earthquake,” he disclosed.

As of Tuesday, the Search and Rescue (SAR) team had retrieved three more bodies buried in a landslide caused by the earthquake, bringing the death toll to 635.

The earthquake also caused severe damage to 8,151 houses, moderate damage to 11,210 homes, and light damage to 18,469 houses. Moreover, 525 school buildings, 269 houses of worships, 14 healthcare facilities, and 17 office buildings were also damaged in the quake.

The government has prepared 2.5 hectares of land in Sinargalih village for building 200 earthquake-resistant houses.

Source: Antara News