Volcano refugees subsist on cassava<\/p>\n
Yemris Fointuna, Kupang<\/p>\n
Villagers who fled a volcanic eruption on Flores island are
\nlanguishing in refugee camps, and have started consuming cassava,
\nwhile many of their children are suffering respiratory problems,
\nan official said on Monday.<\/p>\n
The refugees had also been forced to delay casting their votes
\nin Monday's direct presidential election as Mount Egon in Sikka
\nregency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), continued to be dangerous.<\/p>\n
NTT election commission official Johanis Depa said the Sikka
\npoll committee office had sent a team to help organize a delayed
\nelection for the refugees.<\/p>\n
It was not clear when the delayed poll would be held as most
\nvillagers from the slopes of the volcano had left their voting
\ncards at home when fleeing to safer areas.<\/p>\n
Sikka Regent Alex Longginus admitted the refugees had to eat
\ncassava and their children were suffering respiratory problems,
\nwith food aid still to arrive.<\/p>\n
He said his administration found it difficult to distribute
\nassistance due to the amount of work it had to do in connection
\nwith Monday's election.<\/p>\n
\"All the employees of our technical agencies are on holiday.
\nBut I will seek to hold a coordinating meeting soon to take
\nemergency steps to help the refugees,\" Alex said.<\/p>\n
He said residents and families accommodating the refugees also
\nhad to feed them due to the absence of food aid from the local
\nauthorities and humanitarian organizations.<\/p>\n
The regent said Mount Egon continued belching out white smoke
\nand hot ash. The four villages worst affected were Egon Gahar,
\nNatakoli, Hale and Hebing.<\/p>\n
\"Most houses and farmland belonging to the villagers have been
\ncovered with ash,\" Alex added.<\/p>\n
A major eruption was reported on Saturday night. The ash from
\nMount Egon has drifted as far west as Maumere, the capital of
\nFlores.<\/p>\n
However, volcanologists said the eruption was not dangerous as
\nlong as people stayed away from the volcano.<\/p>\n
\"The status of Mount Egon remains 'alert' but residents should
\nnot panic,\" said Yoseph Suryanto, an official at the Egon
\nvolcanology monitoring post.<\/p>\n
He said that streets, originally potholed, were now flat under
\na carpet of fresh gray ash. Meanwhile, water sources had been
\ncontaminated with the ash and thus the water could no longer be
\nconsumed.<\/p>\n
The 1,701-meter-high Mount Egon, which is located in Waegete
\ndistrict, Sikka regency, last erupted in February, forcing
\nvillagers to flee the area.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has the world's highest density of volcanoes with
\n500 located in a so-called \"Ring of Fire\", along the length of
\nthe 5,000-kilometer-long archipelagic nation. Of these, 128 are
\nstill active while 65 are listed as dangerous.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/volcano-refugees-subsist-on-cassava-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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