Thousands of Houses in Danger Zones Will Be Relocated

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Material from the eruption of Mount Semeru piled up residential residents in Kampung Renteng Hamlet, Sumberwuluh Village, Lumajang Regency, East Java, Tuesday (7/12/2021).

About 4,250 people affected by the Mount Semeru eruption have taken refuge in 19 evacuation sites. The handling of the evacuation works should be immediately improved so that aid can be distributed optimally.

LUMAJANG, KOMPAS — At least 2,000 houses located in the danger zones on the slopes of Mount Semeru will be relocated. Currently, the search, rescue and evacuation of residents from the eruption area remain the top priority.

Based on data gathered Tuesday (7/12/2021), about 4,250 residents affected by Mount Semeru’s eruption that occurred last Saturday have been evacuated to 19 temporary shelters. As many as 34 people are reported to have died, 22 people missing and 22 others seriously injured. As many as 5,025 houses and buildings have also been damaged in the eruption.

Also read:

> Gray Saturday on the Slopes of Mount Semeru

> Learning from Semeru Eruption

> Mt Merapi Eruption Predicted to no be as Big as in 2010

> Evacuation of Residents Prepared

When visiting locations affected by the Semeru eruption in Lumajang regency, East Java, on Tuesday, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said all forces should be deployed to search for missing people and to carry out the evacuation and emergency response operation. The President also hoped that the evacuees were handled well and were receiving adequate food and health services.

The government has estimated that about 2,000 houses on the slopes of Mount Semeru are located in dangerous and vulnerable locations. The houses in the danger zone will be relocated to a safer place. The new houses will be built immediately after the government finds the location for the resettlement of residents affected by the eruption.

Separately, head of the Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center Andiani said a team from his office had visited the Besuk Kobokan area in Lumajang, which was severely affected by the hot ashfall.

His office would remap the dangerous and vulnerable locations in the area based on the findings of volcanic material around it.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Residents who were destroyed by material from the eruption of Mount Semeru in Kajarkuning Hamlet, Sumberwuluh Village, Lumajang Regency, East Java, Tuesday (7/12/2021).

"We are taking efforts to update the map of the areas prone to volcanic disasters. The new map will be used as a reference for related parties to use the area around Semeru," he said.

Help

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) deployed as many as 985 personnel from various agencies to search for missing residents as well as to evacuate and provide health services to survivors.

The BNPB also operated three helicopters, while the Indonesian Red Cross deployed two Hägglunds chain-wheel vehicles that can reach rough terrain.

The Public Works and Housing Ministry also deployed personnel to clean the roads, restore connectivity and look for alternative routes to reach Lumajang city, Turen and Malang after the Besuk Kobokan bridge collapsed.

The commander of the emergency response team for the handling of the Mount Semeru eruption, Infantry Colonel Irwan Subeki, ensured that all affected locations could still be reached by the aid team. However, the evacuation work and the search for missing residents were still hampered by the conditions of the areas, which were still covered by thick hot ash.

The potential for new lave bursts from the mouth of the volcano was also being monitored.

According to the monitoring of the emergency response team, an increase of volcanic activity was still visible on the slopes of Mount Semeru such as eruptions caused by volcanic earthquakes with a duration of 55-125 seconds. The potential for new lave bursts from the mouth of the volcano was also being monitored.

People were told to stay away from areas affected by the fall of the hot ashes because the temperature in the areas remained high. Lahars of hot ash and lava along the rivers or valleys at the peak of Mount Semeru were also being closely monitored.

East Java Governor, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, urged those who survived the eruption to follow the officers' directions and stay in temporary shelters until the conditions returned to normal.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

The joint SAR team excavated volcanic material from the eruption of Mount Semeru that buried residents' homes in Kampung Renteng Hamlet, Sumberwuluh Village, Lumajang Regency, East Java, Tuesday (7/12/2021).

However, the call to stay away from areas located about 1 kilometer from the crater and 5 kilometers from the crater opening in the south to southeast sector is often ignored. In Kali Besuk, sand miners have continued their activities in an area affected by the fall of the hot ash during the eruption on Saturday.

Rosyid, one of the miners, said the sand miners were continuing their activities because the area was minimally affected by the eruption. However, he said the miners remained on alert and if the weather was cloudy and the sky around the peak of Mount Semeru was dark, they stopped.

Also read:

> Mt Merapi Eruption Predicted to no be as Big as in 2010

> Evacuation of Residents Prepared

In addition to the miners, many residents have also returned to their homes to retrieve their left belongings. A road in Kajarkuning hamlet, Sumberwuluh, for example, looked busy as many residents went back and forth to their homes.

The residents immediately returned to their evacuation site or relative's homes being used as a temporary shelter.

Pujianto, a resident of Curah Kobokan, Supit urang village, Pronojiwo district, said he had to return to his village to take the valuables from his home. The residents immediately returned to their evacuation site or relative's homes being used as a temporary shelter.

Help for victims

Food aid and other assistance have begun to flow to the areas affected by the eruption. The government has provided Rp 10 million (US$ 697.40) in mourning money to the family of each person killed in the eruption. But the victims’ families have not all received the money because the search and evacuation process is still ongoing.

A number of regions have also distributed logistics and humanitarian relief to the affected areas. The Surabaya city administration has sent a number of heavy vehicles, dozens of personnel and logistics to support the search and rescue effort and evacuation of residents.

But the evacuation and distribution of aid need to be improved as they have not been effectively handled.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Sunny weather around traditional sand mining in Besuk Semut River, Pasrujambe District, Lumajang Regency, East Java, Tuesday (7/12/2021).

Logistics assistance for survivors in Supiturang Village, for example, was quite abundant. Within a day, trucks and other vehicles arrived with aid ranging from basic needs to animal feed. Along the road to Supiturang, a number of organizations had set up help centers and public kitchens for the residents. Aid also piled up at the Pronojiwo district office and Supiturang Village Hall.

However, there was chaos and confusion in the distribution of the humanitarian aid as seen in two evacuation sites in Supiturang village, Pronojiwo district.

Because of this, the organizer decided to reduce the aid distribution which, instead, triggered further chaos.

This occurred at the Nurul Jadid Mosque. Despite being one of the main disaster help centers in the area, many evacuees said they had not received assistance. Because of this, the organizer decided to reduce the aid distribution which, instead, triggered further chaos.

The same thing occurred at the evacuation site at the Supiturang Elementary School. Not all the aid that arrived and was received by evacuees was recorded, causing confusion in the aid distribution. (DIA/BR O/NIK/ETA/INA/MTK/ EDN/ TAM / RTG )

(This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi).