No. 29/MC.TDBM/11/2010

PRESS RELEASE

No.   29/MC.TDBM/11/2010

Volunteers Were Asked To Give Assistance in The Safe Zone

Yogyakarta, 15/11/2010 (Media Center Kominfo, 14:00) - Head of National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Syamsul Maarif asked the volunteers to provide assistance to affected communities or Merapi’s refugee in the safe zone.

"I urge volunteers not to provide assistance in areas which passing the new safe zone. Assistance keep in the safe zone considering the status of Merapi is still AWAS." he said.

That said Syamsul in Media Center Disaster Emergency Response Merapi in Yogyakarta, Jalan Kenari No. 14a, on Monday (15/11). He said that to prevent more people not to move up into the danger zone boundary.

As reported earlier, safe zones have shifted in some areas of the outside radius of 20 km to 10-15 km from the top of Mount Merapi.

Merapi eruption safe zones area located in some areas such as, for Boyolali and Klaten district the save zones area located above radius 10 km from the top of Merapi. Then Magelang as far as 15 Km. While specifically for Sleman regency, safe zones remain in a radius of 20 km from the top of Merapi.

From yesterday until today, the assessment (field checks) still being held assisted by TNI/Polri to assess whether there (safe zones 10-15 km) be found consumable water supplies and whether the basic needs of refugees is available.

Keep in mind that the volcanic ash is very hazardous, while many wells has been fulfilled with volcanic ash. It is also necessary to consider the aviabilty of logistic area.

Temporary assesement result, shown that in Klaten district, TNI/Polri facing difficulties to gather data on the number of movements of refugees from the old save zones area to the new one.

While reportedly there is movement of about 15 thousand people who move to a new safe zone. In the previous radius of 20 km safe zone the number of refugees in Klaten reached 107 thousand people. And at this time reduced to 92 thousand people displaced.

"As for the Boyolali and Magelang, until now has not received a report," said Chief BNPB.

Syamsul to allow the refugees to move to a new safe zone but does not include the vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly and women, given certain new safety zone will still be filled with volcanic ash.

"People can move to a new zone but leave the vulnerable groups, children, women, elderly people. Given the area is still filled with volcanic ash, "he said.

To assist efforts to refugee movements, the institute prepares vehicles for delivery and pick-up.

While efforts to anticipate a flood of cold lava, an early warning system on 3 rivers namely Kali Kuning, Gendol and Boyong are now being installed to give quick information about the existence of cold lava to the community.

Syamsul asserted, the anticipation of cold lava disaster exercise is being held today in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the said early warning system equipment. Exercise involving military and police and the party from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Public Works and Universities.

Syamsul also requested the Head of Central River Region Serau-Opak, Ir Bambang Hargono, to quickly examine the debris or obstacles that blocking the flow of the existing river. Because the debris is the most threatening scenario if there is a cold lava because it can destroy anything under the flow of the river, including houses and bridges.

Contact          : Sukosono, MC Kominfo-BNPB

Mobile            : 081218056690

Contact          : Hartje Winerungan, Head of PR-BNPB

Mobile                        : 0815 9926 781