Mount Merapi Activities Increase, Regent Ensures Sleman Areas Are Still Safe

SLEMAN - Regent of Sleman, Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY), Kustini Sri Purnomo stated that despite the increase in volcanic activity of Mount Merapi in recent days, conditions are still safe and the public should not panic. "However, it is necessary to be careful and remain vigilant in responding to the eruption of Mount Merapi which occurred since last Saturday," said Kustini while attending the Information Socialization and Population Administration Data Record (Sisir Adminduk) quoted by ANTARA, Monday, March 13. According to him, the current activity of Mount Merapi is different from the eruption conditions in 2010. The condition of Mount Merapi is currently experiencing an increase in volcanic activity but is still in alert status. "This means that volcanic activity is high but still within the recommended zone radius," he said. He said that BPBD has prepared an evacuation team along with the fleet either independently, or a support fleet prepared by the Sleman Regency Government. "In addition to preparing an evacuation team and a fleet, BPBD Sleman has also prepared evacuation routes, evacuation signs (Pemkab) Sleman through BPBD Sleman has prepared evacuation teams, and prepared evacuation barracks," he said. Then, as preparation if conditions are very critical and are considered to endanger residents of the community, it will later be sounded a warning sign in the form of sirens. "This warning mark has been prepared at 36 points spread over the Disaster Rawan Area (KRB) III which are close to residential settlement and equipped with the Early Warning System (EWS) officers," he said.

"Then the community will be guided by the evacuation team to the refugee camps," he said. Makwan said BPBD Sleman Regency had prepared 32 refugee barracks located in three walinewon (sub-districts) namely Turi, Cangkringan and Pakem and spread over seven urban villages.