No.23/MC.TDBM/11/2010

PRESS RELEASE

No.23/MC.TDBM/11/2010

HEAD OF BNPB: TNI DAN POLRI TO DO ASSESMENT ON

IMPACTS OF MERAPI ERUPTION

Yogyakarta, 14/11/2010 (Media Center Kominfo) - Head of National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Syamsul Maarif confirmed until now the condition of Mount Merapi is still Alert (level IV). This means that the recommendation of the refugees still remains the same as previous days, with the radius of 20 km. Displaced people requested to remain in camps in safe areas.

He instructed the TNI and Police Task Force personnel which numbered 7000, comprising 5000 elements of the TNI and 2000 from the Police to conduct assessment on the places affected by the eruption of Mount Merapi. Based on the assessment it is expected that policies regarding further steps can be made in a short time.

 
Head of BNPB also invited young displaced people to actively assist military and police in this assessment activity because they better understand the situation of their homes.

Syamsul Maarif explained assessment is also intended to find the damaged infrastructure in residential communities affected by the eruption. In addition, it was stated that this activity would point the exact location to determine the logistics distribution. "Regarding this matter, the Government of Central Java is considering to prepare the mobile logistics warehouse, but it has to be practicable," he said.

For the success of this operation, the Head of BNPB instructed the military and police to provide vehicles to transport the volunteers. "I ask that within 24 hours TNI provides 102 vehicles and police 60 vehicles, but not at the same time altogether," he said.

Regarding the threat of cold lava flood, BNPB and the University of Gajah Mada is now conducting a study on the threat by implementing an early warning system.

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Contact        : Sukosono, MC Kominfo-BNPB

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