Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) is facilitating emergency response efforts in four districts in the provinces of Yogyakarta and Central Java for better equipping the areas against the future eruption of Mount Merapi.
To this end, the agency supplies logistics and personnel to the districts of Sleman, Magelang, Klaten, and Boyolali, BNPB spokesperson Raditya Jati noted in a statement here on Monday.
"Last week, the agency had distributed 100 thousand face masks. Each of the districts received 25 thousand face masks. It also distributed 216 salt water lamps for emergency lighting," he revealed.
In order to assist the regional disaster mitigation agencies (BPBD) in the four districts, the BNPB also dispatched its personnel to work with their colleagues to organize command posts.
They also coordinated with those from related agencies, including the Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG), Center for Environmental Health Engineering (BTKL), and BPBD in making preparations to handle the volcano's eruptions in future, he noted.
They organized a simulation drill from November 17 to November 19, 2020, by involving local government officials, he stated.
Mount Merapi has frequently erupted over the past decade. In 2010, ANTARA noted that its eruption had claimed some 300 lives.
On June 21, 2020, the 2,930-meter-high volcano, situated on the border of Yogyakarta's Sleman District and Central Java Province, again erupted twice, producing a six thousand-meter-high ash column.
Over these past two weeks, Mount Merapi's volcanic activities have tended to increase. Consequently, the BNPB reported that over one thousand residents were evacuated to the districts of Boyolali, Magelang, Klaten, and Sleman.
Most evacuees are people from the vulnerable group, such as seniors, kids, toddlers, pregnant women, people with disabilities, and breastfeeding mothers.
In addition to BNPB's logistics aid, the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) dispensed several thousand hamzat suits and face shields to protect affected residents in disaster zones of Mount Merapi's increasing volcanic activities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Apart from handing out hazmat suits, face shields, and surgical masks, the PMI also deployed its volunteers to the disaster zones to assist in the evacuation of those in need and facilitate other mitigation efforts.
For aiding evacuation and mitigation endeavors, the PMI also dispatched two Hagglunds to areas not easily reachable by vehicles.
Related news: PMI deploys several hundred personnel in Mt Merapi area
Related news: Locals urged to be vigilant while taking grass on Merapi's slopes
EDITED BY INE
