Mt Merapi emergency : Children, elderly being evacuated
Antara News, Monday, October 25, 2010 18:21 WIB
Magelang, C Java (ANTARA News) - Hundreds of children and elderly people from four villages near Mount Merapi`s danger zones in Magelang district, Central Java, began to be evacuated on Monday.
The evacuation process was started following the raising of Mount Merapi`s status from "alert" to "prepared" on Monday at 07.00 am local time, head of Srumbung sub-district, Agus Purgunanto, said.
The evacuees were from four hamlets in Kaliurang village, Srumbung sub-district, namely Cempagan, Kaliurang Selatan, Kaliurang Utara, and Sumberejo, he said.
The residents of Jrakah hamlet had yet to be evacuated to safer places while the evacuees were centered at Kaliurang village`s hall before being transported to shelters in Tanjung, Muntilan area.
The residents of two hamlets in Kemiren village were also evacuated to save them from the Mount Merapi`s danger zones, he said.
According to the Head of Kaliurang village, Keptiyah, senior citizens, children and pregnant women were the main targets of Monday`s evacuation process.
Kaliurang village`s total population was 2,464 people. They consisted of 285 aging people, 65 babies, 146 toddlers, and 17 pregnant women, he said.
All evacuees were transported to shelters by vehicles that the Magelang district`s government had prepared or cars belonging to locals, he said.
About 60 cars were used to evacuate the residents of Kaliurang and Kemiren villages, he said.
The Volcanology Technology Development and Study (BPPTK) Agency in Yogyakarta has sent official notification letters about the rise from alert to watch-out status to a number of districts near Merapi.
In response to this official notification, the evacuation process was also conducted by the Sleman district`s authorities for people, living in Mt Merapi`s danger zones.
Head of Sleman district, Sri Purnomo, warned the authorities of not creating panic to the evacuees.
"All related authorities need to be aware of the importance of avoiding our people from being panic during the evacuation process," she said.
Along with a number of local government officials, Sri Purnomo visited Kaliadem hamlet in Kepuharjo village, Cangkringan sub-district, to see the impacts of Mount Merapi`s unstable situation.
She said the evacuation process should be carried out in accordance with the existing procedures. In this context, rescue workers had to prioritize pregnant women, toddlers, and aging people.
The closures of Kaliurang and Boyong in Pakem sub-district, three spots in Cangkringan sub-district and five spots in Turi sub-district should also be completed with "prohibition notice boards", she said.
Sri Purnomo said the local authorities had set up seven refugee camps to meet the needs of more than a thousand of displaced people.
The shelters were set up in Glagaharjo, Kepuharjo, and Umbulharjo areas (Cangkringan sub-district), Hargobinangun and Purwobinangun (Pakem sub-district), and Girikerto and Wonokerto (Turi sub-district).
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