Volunteers Find Human Body Pieces, Victims Of Hot Clouds Of Mount Semeru

Volunteers find body parts of victims of Mount Semeru's hot clouds/ Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - A team of volunteers found body parts suspected to be victims of the Mount Semeru hot cloud (APG) at the mining site of Kampung Renteng, Sumberwuluh Village, Lumajang Regency, East Java.

"At the mining site of Kampung Renteng, North Kendondeli Hamlet, Sumberwuluh Village, Candipuro District, the body parts of the suspected victims of the Mount Semeru APG have been found," said Head of the Emergency, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency for the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) Lumajang Joko Sambang, quoting Antara, Saturday, January 19.

He explained that initially the joint volunteers were monitoring the Mount Semeru watershed in the mining area of Kampung Renteng, North Kebondeli Hamlet, Sumberwuluh Village, Candipuro District.

"The team smelled an unpleasant odor in one of the sand dunes. After being approached and carried out an initial check, it turned out that there were pieces of the body and dark blue pants buried in sand material," he said.

The team coordinated with the Transitional Task Force, then carried out the evacuation and removal of body parts, then taken to the Body Retrieval Installation of Dr. Haryoto Lumajang Hospital by using an ambulance from the Labruk Health Center.

"The body parts of the suspected victims of the Mount Semeru APG were handed over to the DVI Police Team for identification," he said.

With the discovery of the remains, he continued, the number of APG victims' bodies to 62 bodies and eight body parts, most of which were identified by the DVI Police Team.

In addition, monitoring of the Mount Semeru watershed continues to be carried out by the TNI, Polri, BPBD and volunteers to monitor the increase in water discharge along the watershed when heavy rain falls in the peak area.

Mount Semeru, which has a height of 3,676 meters above sea level, is still on alert or level III, so people are advised not to do any activities in the southeast sector along Besuk Kobokan as far as 13 km from the summit (the center of the eruption).