No. 47/MC.TDBM/11/2010

PRESS RELEASE

No.   47/MC.TDBM/11/2010

BNPB FORBIDS PEOPLE TO ENTER DEBRIS AREA

Yogyakarta, 19/11/2010, (Media Center-Kominfo, 10:00) -  Head of National Disaster Mitigation Body (BNPB) Syamsul Maarif gave warning to people not to do any activity including for tourism on the debris (volcanic material) on the river around Mount Merapi.

It is due to the volcanic material which is in the form of sand around the river located in the dangerous zone with 20 cm depth has 100 degrees Celsius of heat.

 “At the end of the sand banks within 20 cm depth, the heat is above 100 degrees. It means it gets hotter deeper. I have told the police and military task force to prevent tourist and traveller to approach the area” as he stated in Media Center of Merapi Disaster Emergency Relief on Jalan Kenari No 14a Yogyakarta, Friday (19/11)

For the sake of safety, he ordered as well the military personnel and police officers to prevent people who come for sightseeing to take pictures on the pile of volcanic material mudflow of Merapi.

He thinks most people who come there are not aware and are not sufficiently informed of the danger by the head of the village, head of district, head of municipality, and other officers who may not in their capacity in understanding of what really happens.

Meanwhile, regarding to the current condition of Merapi, The Head of Volcanology and Geology Disaster Mitigation Center (PVBMG) Geology Center of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Surono, said that Merapi condition is still in the AWAS status (the highest level) although its tremor activities in intensity and energy has declined.

“I still can’t lower the level. It is only the threat radius has decreased. Before, we asked the community to be alert and move back from the mountain. Now we still asked them to be alert but now they can approach the mountain up to the suggested level” as he said while accompanying Syamsul.

Surono explained that AWAS status is remain unchanged and only the dangerous zone of Merapi eruption thread is altered. For the area of Sleman, Boyolali, and Magelang the dangerous zone has been decreased.

For Sleman Municipality, the previous dangerous zone was in the radius of 20 km from the peak of Merapi. The zone now has been decreased especially to the west of Boyong River became 10 km and to the east became 15 km. For Magelang became 10 km, and Boyolali 5 km. For Klaten zone, it remains 10 km. “PVBMG will monitor the condition continuously in order to decrease the radius” He exclaimed.

Apart from that, Surono explained that currently entire dam-sabo (a structure to retain lava) within the dangerous zone are packed with debris. Therefore, to those whose houses are in the river banks are recommended to be careful for the lava threat. Especially to those who live within 300 meter from the river.

Surono added that you must not be misperceived that the lava is only a mixture of water, but it also contains big rocks.

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Contact          : Hartje Winerungan, Head of PR-BNPB

Phone            : 0274 – 547 359 (Hotline Media Center)

Mobile           : 0815 9926 781

Contact          : Selamatta Sembiring, Public Information Agency-Kemenkominfo

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