Evacuation Of Vulnerable Groups On The Slopes Of Mount Merapi

A number of volunteers evacuate sick residents to a refugee camp on the slopes of Mount Merapi, Keningar Village, Dukun, Magelang, Central Java, Sunday, November 8. (Photo: Anis Efizudin / Antara)

JAKARTA - As many as 129 vulnerable groups on the slopes of Mount Merapi, especially in Kalitengah Lor Hamlet, Cangkringan, Sleman, Yogyakarta Special Region (DIY) have been evacuated to Glagaharjo Village Hall, Cangkringan following the status upgrade of the mountain to be alert.

"They were evacuated yesterday (Saturday) afternoon," said Operations Coordinator of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) DIY Endro Sambodo when contacted in Yogyakarta, Sunday.

According to Endro, the vulnerable group consists of 31 toddlers, three pregnant women, and 95 elderly, two of whom are people with mental disorders (ODGJ) and five people with disabilities.

Apart from the Glagaharjo Village Hall, Cangkringan, some of the vulnerable groups were evacuated to the SD and Kindergarten buildings located next to the Glagaharjo Village Hall.

"They have been facilitated with a public kitchen run by the village post accompanied by volunteers and Tagana," he said.

Meanwhile, for residents in Umbulharjo Village, Cangkringan District, the evacuation process is only focused on livestock. "For Umbulharjo only the cattle have been unloaded," he said.

According to Endro, the evacuation of residents in disaster-prone areas (KRB) III or five kilometers from the top of Mount Merapi will be carried out as a whole if their status has risen to alert again.

The DIY BPBD TRC team, according to him, currently has the task of assisting the slopes of the western sector of Merapi, namely Wonokerto, Girikerto and Purwobinangun villages, the middle sector namely Hargobinangun, Umbulharjo, and Kepuharjo villages, and the eastern sector namely Purwobinangun.

"We provide assistance or assistance related to the preparation of operational and implementation plans for disaster preparedness," he said.