The German Foreign Ministry has pledged 1.3 million dollars to help rebuild the Indonesian island of Nias that was destroyed by an earthquake last month, local media reports said Friday. The World Health Organization (WHO) and a German non-government organization, Johannifer-Unfall-Hilfe, are expected to carry out the assistance projects on the island off the west coast of Sumatra, which was battered by an 8.7 quake March 28, according to the state-run news agency Antara. Johannifer also planned to deliver 1,000 family tents and 2,000 mosquito nets for survivors of the quake that killed more than 700 people and collapsed hundreds of homes and buildings on the island. The German funds would also allow the WHO to help provincial health offices provide emergency services to people on Nias, as well as improve existing health services on both the island and in neighbouring Aceh province. Aceh was the area worst hit by the earthquake-triggered tsunami on December 26 that left 164,000 people dead or missing in Indonesia. As part of a separate aid project, the German Technical Relief Agency earlier this month extended assistance to help provide drinking water for Simeulue island, which was also hit by the March 28 quake.
