Merapi calmer as deaths rise to 38<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Mount Merapi was calm yesterday after a night
\nof heavy rainfall as the death toll for Tuesday's eruption
\nreached 38 people.<\/p>\n
A command post set up at the Dr. Sardjito Hospital, which
\ncoordinates the medical treatment of the volcano victims at three
\nother hospitals, confirmed the figure last night.<\/p>\n
Some of the 200 people, who are still unaccounted for, are
\nfeared dead.<\/p>\n
Up to last night 5,000 refugees were sheltered in five
\nvillages outside the radius of six kilometers from the declared
\ndanger zones, as the local authorities declared 10 more hamlets
\nas danger zones and closed them to the public.<\/p>\n
Residents of three villages in Dukun district, Magelang
\nregency, were called on to stay alert because rainfall could
\nbring down cold lava.<\/p>\n
The three villages are located six kilometers from the top of
\nthe volcano.<\/p>\n
An official of the Yogyakarta Volcanic Agency said residents
\nliving along the Code River were being advised to move to safer
\nareas to avoid the lava.<\/p>\n
Atje Purbawinata from the Mt. Merapi Monitoring Office said
\nthe danger lay in the evaporation of hot lava deposits in the
\nrivers, which he said could endanger residents living near by.<\/p>\n
Another official has speculated that the critical period would
\nbe passed in between five to seven days after the eruption.<\/p>\n
The situation in the Sumberrejo, Kaliurang Utara, and
\nKaliurang Selatan villages, which have been deserted since the
\neruption, began to return somewhat to normal yesterday with
\npeople returning from evacuation sites.<\/p>\n
Residents of Kaliurang Atas and Kaliurang Bawah were allowed
\nto return to their homes during the day to enable them to take
\ncare of their cattle and plants.<\/p>\n
However, they were told to return to their emergency shelters
\nin the village meeting halls, at night.<\/p>\n
Jurangjero, a tourist object with a beautiful panorama near
\nMt. Merapi, has been re-opened, but no visitors have been brave
\nenough to even try to get there, a Srumbung district officer said
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
A member of the medical team from Dr. Sardjito Hospital,
\nSudirman Tirtoprodjo, raised concerns over the unhealthy
\nenvironment of the evacuation camps. He cited the public toilets,
\nwhich did not meet healthy standards and the poor hygiene of the
\npeople who were being crowded together.<\/p>\n
\"Things will get worse if rain comes,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The head of the medical team, Dr. Wijono, said that he had
\ncoordinated with the provincial Public Works Office and the
\nHealth Office to cope with the problem.<\/p>\n
\"But they still need more clothes, including underwear, and
\nbath items like soap, toothbrushes and towels,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Food, medicine, blankets and other contributions for the
\nvictims continue to come in not only from government offices, but
\nalso from individuals as well as private companies.<\/p>\n
Soeharto's eldest daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, Minister
\nof Food\/Chairman of the Logistics Board Ibrahim Hasan and Central
\nJava Military Commander Maj. Gen. Suyono have visited the victims
\nin the evacuation camps and hospitals.<\/p>\n
Rukmana handed over Rp 102 million, while Ibrahim donated 30
\ntons of rice.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto and First Lady Tien Soeharto are expected
\nhere today. They will visit the volcano victims at hospitals and
\ntalk to survivors.<\/p>\n
Acting Public Works Minister Haryanto Danutirto, who has
\nvisited the location on a separate occasion, said that three dams
\nwill be constructed there. Several bridges which were damaged by
\nthe disaster will be repaired as well. (har\/wah\/mun\/sim\/pan\/tis)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/merapi-calmer-as-deaths-rise-to-38-1447893297",
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