Merapi lahar floods in Magelang recede; SAR operations continue

Jakarta (ANTARA) - A flash flood mixed with lahar from Mount Merapi in Magelang, Central Java, is gradually receding, allowing search and rescue operations for the missing to continue today, Thursday, as confirmed by the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB). The BNPB Head of Data, Information and Disaster Communication Centre, Abdul Muhari, in a statement received in Jakarta, said that SAR teams today have been increasing personnel and deploying heavy equipment to accelerate the search and rescue process. BNPB confirmed that there are, for now, two residents reported missing by SAR teams. The number of missing may still rise given the scale of the impact of the lahar flood from Mount Merapi. Abdul explained that the lahar flood occurred on Tuesday (3/3) after heavy rainfall drenched the summit area of Mount Merapi and its surroundings, triggering the overflow of the Senowo River in Dukun District. BNPB received reports that six residents were injured and are receiving intensive medical treatment from local health workers. In terms of damage, the Magelang Regency BPBD’s preliminary data records one truck swept away, one bridge washed away, and three other bridges damaged. The lahar flood also affected eight kelurahan across the areas of Dukun, Sawangan, and Mungkid.