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Govt urges all stakeholders to remain vigilant in anticipation of M. Agung eruption
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he Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister (Menko PMK) Puan Maharani has urged all relevant stakeholders to remain vigilant in anticipation of an eruption of Mount Agung in Bali.
Puan recently led a ministerial coordination meeting to discuss the possible impacts of a Mount Agung eruption. The increased volcanic activity of Mount Agung has seen an alert status declared since Sept. 22. It is, however, difficult to tell when the mountain will erupt.
Present during the meeting were Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa, Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono, National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) chairman Willem Rampangilei, Presidential Chief of Staff office head Teten Masduki, North Sumatra Deputy Governor Nurhajizah Marpaung, Karangasem Regent IGA Mas Sumatri as well as Karo Regent Terkelin Brahmana.
According to Puan, the Karangasem regency would be the region worst affected by a Mount Agung eruption. She added that the impacts from the eruption might very well disturb Bali’s tourism industry, thereby making it all the more urgent to mitigate its impacts.
The government, meanwhile, has prohibited any activities from being conducted in certain danger zones in Bali, including areas within a nine kilometer radius of Mount Agung. The government has also made preparations to disseminate masks to local residents, which they can use to protect their noses, eyes and mouths from volcanic ash.
Meanwhile, to minimize the adverse psychological impacts of the possible eruption, the central government has coordinated with several institutions and ministries to implement a number of programs and activities to mitigate the socio-economic burdens that would be felt by local people in the event of an eruption.
The Menko PMK said she hoped the general public would be willing to help victims by collecting donations, be they goods or money, which could be distributed via the Emergency Task Force for volcanic eruptions.
Handling M. Sinabung evacuees
During the same meeting, the minister also discussed the acceleration of handling processes of evacuees who had fled the eruption of Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra. While attention had been directed toward the possible imminent eruption of Mount Agung, Mount Sinabung erupted on Sept. 27 at 1:23 p.m. local time, spewing plumes of ash 2.5 km into the air.
Puan requested that related ministries and institutions focus on the procurement of alternative land for people displaced by the Mount Sinabung disaster. This is vital as many victims of the disaster still live in shelters. The evacuee handling program needs to be accelerated as its deadline on Dec. 31 is fast approaching.
