Padang, W Sumatra (ANTARA News) - West Sumatra provincial government will soon start rehabilitating a great number of damaged houses of earthquake victims by utilizing the 2009 funds amounting Rp115.18 billion of a total fund of Rp313 billion, its governor said.

West Sumatra governor, Marlis Rahman made the statement here on Sunday relating to the government`s plan to help rehabilitate thousands of victims of a magnitude 7.6 earthquake that devastated the province on September 30, 2009.

The governor, regents and mayors where their areas were hit by the major quake will hold a meeting on Wednesday (Jan 27) to discuss the use of fund for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of earthquake victims` houses, he said.

Rahman said further that the meeting is needed to talk about priority of the houses rehabilitation because the available amount of funds is not sufficient for the whole damaged houses.

"We need explanation from the regents and mayors on which damaged houses should get priority of the rehabilitation, because part of the houses were totally damaged and some were half-collapsed," the governor said.

In addition, the public works affairs office will also repair damaged roads and bridges connecting the city of Padang with Pariaman and Agam districts, he said.

The provincial administration data showed that the heavy damaged houses amounting 114,797 units were found in 12 districts/towns and the half collapsed houses reached 67.198 units in 11 districts/towns.

The reconstruction and rehabilitation funds assistance for the heavy damaged houses worth Rp15 million each, the half damaged houses worth Rp10 million each and for the minor damaged ones is Rp1 million respectively, in which the fund was derived from the provincial budget.

The devastated earthquake also caused more than a thousand of residents dead.(*)