Merapi calmer as deaths rise to 38

Merapi calmer as deaths rise to 38

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Mount Merapi was calm yesterday after a night
of heavy rainfall as the death toll for Tuesday's eruption
reached 38 people.

A command post set up at the Dr. Sardjito Hospital, which
coordinates the medical treatment of the volcano victims at three
other hospitals, confirmed the figure last night.

Some of the 200 people, who are still unaccounted for, are
feared dead.

Up to last night 5,000 refugees were sheltered in five
villages outside the radius of six kilometers from the declared
danger zones, as the local authorities declared 10 more hamlets
as danger zones and closed them to the public.

Residents of three villages in Dukun district, Magelang
regency, were called on to stay alert because rainfall could
bring down cold lava.

The three villages are located six kilometers from the top of
the volcano.

An official of the Yogyakarta Volcanic Agency said residents
living along the Code River were being advised to move to safer
areas to avoid the lava.

Atje Purbawinata from the Mt. Merapi Monitoring Office said
the danger lay in the evaporation of hot lava deposits in the
rivers, which he said could endanger residents living near by.

Another official has speculated that the critical period would
be passed in between five to seven days after the eruption.

The situation in the Sumberrejo, Kaliurang Utara, and
Kaliurang Selatan villages, which have been deserted since the
eruption, began to return somewhat to normal yesterday with
people returning from evacuation sites.

Residents of Kaliurang Atas and Kaliurang Bawah were allowed
to return to their homes during the day to enable them to take
care of their cattle and plants.

However, they were told to return to their emergency shelters
in the village meeting halls, at night.

Jurangjero, a tourist object with a beautiful panorama near
Mt. Merapi, has been re-opened, but no visitors have been brave
enough to even try to get there, a Srumbung district officer said
yesterday.

A member of the medical team from Dr. Sardjito Hospital,
Sudirman Tirtoprodjo, raised concerns over the unhealthy
environment of the evacuation camps. He cited the public toilets,
which did not meet healthy standards and the poor hygiene of the
people who were being crowded together.

"Things will get worse if rain comes," he said.

The head of the medical team, Dr. Wijono, said that he had
coordinated with the provincial Public Works Office and the
Health Office to cope with the problem.

"But they still need more clothes, including underwear, and
bath items like soap, toothbrushes and towels," he said.

Food, medicine, blankets and other contributions for the
victims continue to come in not only from government offices, but
also from individuals as well as private companies.

Soeharto's eldest daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, Minister
of Food/Chairman of the Logistics Board Ibrahim Hasan and Central
Java Military Commander Maj. Gen. Suyono have visited the victims
in the evacuation camps and hospitals.

Rukmana handed over Rp 102 million, while Ibrahim donated 30
tons of rice.

President Soeharto and First Lady Tien Soeharto are expected
here today. They will visit the volcano victims at hospitals and
talk to survivors.

Acting Public Works Minister Haryanto Danutirto, who has
visited the location on a separate occasion, said that three dams
will be constructed there. Several bridges which were damaged by
the disaster will be repaired as well. (har/wah/mun/sim/pan/tis)