Volcano refugees subsist on cassava
Volcano refugees subsist on cassava
Yemris Fointuna, Kupang
Villagers who fled a volcanic eruption on Flores island are
languishing in refugee camps, and have started consuming cassava,
while many of their children are suffering respiratory problems,
an official said on Monday.
The refugees had also been forced to delay casting their votes
in Monday's direct presidential election as Mount Egon in Sikka
regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), continued to be dangerous.
NTT election commission official Johanis Depa said the Sikka
poll committee office had sent a team to help organize a delayed
election for the refugees.
It was not clear when the delayed poll would be held as most
villagers from the slopes of the volcano had left their voting
cards at home when fleeing to safer areas.
Sikka Regent Alex Longginus admitted the refugees had to eat
cassava and their children were suffering respiratory problems,
with food aid still to arrive.
He said his administration found it difficult to distribute
assistance due to the amount of work it had to do in connection
with Monday's election.
"All the employees of our technical agencies are on holiday.
But I will seek to hold a coordinating meeting soon to take
emergency steps to help the refugees," Alex said.
He said residents and families accommodating the refugees also
had to feed them due to the absence of food aid from the local
authorities and humanitarian organizations.
The regent said Mount Egon continued belching out white smoke
and hot ash. The four villages worst affected were Egon Gahar,
Natakoli, Hale and Hebing.
"Most houses and farmland belonging to the villagers have been
covered with ash," Alex added.
A major eruption was reported on Saturday night. The ash from
Mount Egon has drifted as far west as Maumere, the capital of
Flores.
However, volcanologists said the eruption was not dangerous as
long as people stayed away from the volcano.
"The status of Mount Egon remains 'alert' but residents should
not panic," said Yoseph Suryanto, an official at the Egon
volcanology monitoring post.
He said that streets, originally potholed, were now flat under
a carpet of fresh gray ash. Meanwhile, water sources had been
contaminated with the ash and thus the water could no longer be
consumed.
The 1,701-meter-high Mount Egon, which is located in Waegete
district, Sikka regency, last erupted in February, forcing
villagers to flee the area.
Indonesia has the world's highest density of volcanoes with
500 located in a so-called "Ring of Fire", along the length of
the 5,000-kilometer-long archipelagic nation. Of these, 128 are
still active while 65 are listed as dangerous.