14 Excavators Prepared To Help Evacuate Victims Buried By The Semeru Eruption

LUMAJANG - The East Java Regional Police (Polda) deployed 14 heavy equipment to help evacuate victims of the Mount Semeru hot cloud (APG) in Lumajang Regency.

"The heavy equipment will be operated by the Lumajang Police in coordination with the Mount Semeru Disaster Management Agency," said Dirreskrimsus of the East Java Police Kombes Farman in Lumajang, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, December 8.

A total of 14 heavy equipment sent by the East Java Regional Police will operate in two villages, namely in Curah Kobokan Hamlet, Supiturang Village, Pronojiwo District, 4 units of heavy equipment excavators will be prepared and in Jarit Village, Pasirian District will be prepared as many as 10 units.

"This tool will operate in villages that require heavy equipment to assist in searching and evacuating victims of the hot clouds from Mount Semeru that have not been found," he said.

In addition, he continued, the East Java Police also alerted 8 units of dump trucks, 1 unit of tanker truck containing diesel fuel, and 2 units of trucks carrying excavators to assist in the evacuation of victims.

"We will continue to coordinate with officers at the disaster site to assist in accelerating the handling of the Semeru hot cloud disaster (APG)," he said.

Meanwhile, the joint SAR team temporarily halted search and evacuation activities for victims of the Mount Semeru disaster in Kobokan Curah Hamlet, Supiturang Village, Pronojiwo District, when hot clouds reappeared around the mountain.

"The evacuation process started in the morning, but at 09.15 WIB it was stopped because hot clouds appeared," said Dewa, the search team commander from the Surabaya Search and Rescue Office, in the Kobokan Bulk.

The joint SAR team officers managed to find and evacuate the two bodies of victims of the hot clouds from Mount Semeru before the search operation was stopped.

On the fifth day of the search effort, the SAR team combed four locations to look for victims of the hot clouds falling from Mount Semeru, namely Dusun Curah Kobokan, a sand mining area, and Hamlet Kebondeli and Kampung Renteng in Sumberwuluh Village, Candipuro District.