Mt. Merapi calms as death toll reaches 50<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Mount Merapi grew calmer yesterday while 11
\nnearby hamlets remained closed indefinitely as the death toll of
\nlast week's eruption reached 50.<\/p>\n
The continued closure of the worst-stricken villages dashed
\nseveral thousand evacuees' hopes of an early return home. They
\nhave spent days in makeshift tents thrown up by the Sleman
\nregency government as shelter.<\/p>\n
Of the more than 5,500 evacuees, only 1,500, whose homes are
\nlocated outside the "no access" area, have been allowed to
\nreturn.<\/p>\n
Adding to the villagers' frustration, Sleman Regent Arifin
\nIlyas has announced that the government has yet to decide where
\nthe stranded people will be resettled if the volcano remains
\ndangerous.<\/p>\n
Turgo, the village closest to the volcano, has been declared
\nclosed for good because it is located too close to the top of the
\nmountain. Residents from the other 10 hamlets affected will have
\nto wait until the volcano ceases excessive activity before they
\ncan go home.<\/p>\n
The 2,962 meter high volcano was spewing debris and burning
\nlava in lesser intensity yesterday, officials monitoring its
\nactivity said.<\/p>\n
Warnings<\/p>\n
R. Sukyar of the Directorate of Volcanology said in a meeting
\ncalled to evaluate the aftermath of the Nov. 22 eruption that
\npeople living near the mountain should remain alert for more
\neruptions.<\/p>\n
The strongest warnings were aimed at people residing along
\nrivers that begin on Merapi. The residents have been told to
\nexpect deluges of lava when rainfall is heavy. An estimated 10
\nmillion cubic meters of lava has accumulated on the slopes of the
\nmountain.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, Director General for Geology and Mineral Resources
\nAdjat Sudradjat said in a hearing with the House of
\nRepresentatives that the death toll might not have been as high
\nif people had not defied warnings against residing too close to
\nthe mountain.<\/p>\n
Surgery<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, doctors at Sardjito Hospital postponed plans to
\nperform plastic surgery on victims suffering serious injuries
\nbecause their conditions remained too critical.<\/p>\n
They said the surgery, for which Japan has provided medical
\nequipment worth Rp 300 million (US$140,000), would possibly begin
\ntoday.<\/p>\n
They said they need the skin of several dozen goats of no more
\nthan three months old to cover the bodies of the patients after
\nthey undergo surgery.<\/p>\n
Cancelations<\/p>\n
In a related development, hoteliers in this ancient city,
\nabout 30 kilometers to the south of the volcano, are complaining
\nthat Merapi's eruption has turned out to be bad news for them
\nbecause many foreign tourists have canceled their room
\nreservations.<\/p>\n
"Many have canceled their bookings, but there are more
\nscheduled to come at the Christmas and New Year holidays," Titiek
\nHariati, the public relations manager of the Auila Prambanan
\nHotel, said.<\/p>\n
About 40 Spanish tourists have reportedly canceled their room
\nreservations at the Melia Purosani Hotel.<\/p>\n
Reports about the decline in the tourist arrivals were
\nconfirmed by chief of the Yogyakarta chapter of the Hotel and
\nRestaurant Association, H.M. Abbas Yoenoes.<\/p>\n
He said several hotels with steady customers from Taiwan,
\nChina and Hong Kong had reported cancelations of room
\nreservations following widespread coverage about the eruption.<\/p>\n
"They don't know that Yogyakarta is 30 kilometers from the
\nmountain and absolutely safe," he told Antara (mun\/wah\/fhp\/pan)<\/p>",
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