PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, April 25 (RIA Novosti) - Electricity has been virtually restored to a town in Russia's Far East that was worst hit by an earthquake last week, a local energy company said Tuesday.
A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 points on the Richter scale, the strongest since 1900 in the area, hit the Koryak Autonomous Area on the Kamchatka Peninsula April 21, injuring about 40 people and badly damaging infrastructure in the towns of Tilichiki and Korf.
Energy officials said electricity had been restored in all residential buildings, except those that were severely damaged inside, but suggested some people were still too scared to go home.
"Electricity consumption is low because people are afraid to return to their houses for fear of new tremors," the company press service said.
Preliminary expert estimates suggest that five four- and five-story residential buildings in Tilichiki are beyond repair. Water supply systems are yet to be restored, and water is brought to the town twice a day.
Two diesel generators are to be put into operation in Korf Wednesday after restoration efforts are completed.
The Koryak administration said another district, Olyutorsky, that was also hit by the disaster had been seized by Arctic temperatures of minus 18-22 degrees Celsius (minus 0.4F-minus 7.6F).
"The situation in the area remains extremely difficult. Repair workers are there 24 hours a day, restoring damaged utilities," the press service said.
The administration said a total of 865 people had been evacuated from the quake-hit areas to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the regional capital in the south of the peninsula, and the capital of the autonomous area, Palana, where temporary accommodation has been set up and medical help is available.
