Bajawa spends Rp 14b on refugees

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): The Bajawa regency administration has spent a total of Rp 14 billion to deal with thousands of refugees dislocated from their villages due to the eruption of Wawo Muda volcano on Jan. 11.

The deputy head of the development office at the regency, L.A. Lowa told The Jakarta Post on Thursday that the money had been allocated from the current regency budget.

"The money has been used for the evacuation of people from eight villages to relocation sites in Boewae district, and to purchase at least 12 tons of rice, and other food," Lowa said, adding that East Nusa Tenggara governor Piet Alexander Tallo donated five tons of rice, and Bajawa people gave 3.7 tons of rice.

According to Lowa, at least 4,000 of more than 7,500 people, who had to seek refuge following the Jan. 11 eruption of Wawo Muda volcano, some 13 kilometers southern Bajawa, have now returned home. There were no fatalities reported from the eruption.

"The situation has cleared now. Wawo muda volcano, and not Ina Like as earlier reported, is still spewing ash but it's not too dangerous even though we must be aware of poisonous gases," Alowisius Soi, an officer at the refugee post in Bajawa told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

The rest of the refugees, some 3,930 people are still in shelters after sheltering in Bajawa, Boawae and Soa subdistricts.

Those who are still at the relocation sites are mostly villagers of Ina Like and Wololika, which are both still in danger.

Quoting a report from the Directorate General of volcanology in Bandung, West Java, Lowa said that the two villages were not recommended for living in.

Alowisius said that 25 people, mostly suffering from diarrhea, were still being treated in local hospitals and health centers.

A special team, he added, were still investigating the material loss from the eruption which has destroyed farmers' harvests and killed cattle.

The eruption was the first recorded for the emergent volcano Wawo Muda, while the mountain of Ina Like last erupted in 1905. (yac/hdn/29)