Gowa residents warned not to go home

Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi

Despite the danger of more landslides, residents of Menimbahoi subdistrict in South Sulawesi are determined to return to their homes to salvage their belongings and search for family members missing from last Friday's disaster.

Search and rescue officials have had to prevent residents from returning to their homes because of the continued danger of landslides.

"The subdistrict has been declared an isolated area, but the local residents are still determined to take the risk to save their belongings. They have to stay away or they will be victims of more landslides," said the chief of the Gowa Police, Adj. Sr. Comr. Syamsuddin Yunus, on Tuesday.

He said search teams had called off the search for victims still missing and thought to be buried under the mud and debris because of the possibility of more landslides.

So far, the bodies of two victims have been found, while 31 others remain missing.

Syamsuddin said, however, that the search was underway for those people thought to have escaped the landslide by fleeing into the nearby jungle.

He said these people were initially listed as missing persons. "But we had to revise our list as they later emerge after they realize the disaster is over."

Meanwhile, thousands of residents living in camps in neighboring subdistricts have begun to suffer from various afflictions, including respiratory disease and depression. They are also dealing with a lack of food.

The head of the disaster relief unit in the Gowa regency administration, Mukhtar, said food stocks were only sufficient for two to four days.

The government has delivered Rp 500 million (about US$58.14 million) in aid for refugees.

Surono, a geologist, said Friday's landslide was caused by unstable soil on Mount Bawakaraeng, which was made worse by days of rain and heat.

The mountain's steep 50 degree slope and a total lack of vegetation in some areas have increased the possibility of landslides.

Another geologist, Umar Wahyu, urged residents not to return to their homes or they could be caught in further landslides. He said the slope of the mountain where the residents live should be used for conservation purposes.

Surono said the mountain last erupted in the 1800s and had since been dormant. South Sulawesi province is home to several dormant volcanoes.