Food shortage threatens Merapi survivors

Mt. Merapi survivors are afraid a food shortage will befall them after many of their fields and farm equipment were damaged by volcanic ash from the Mt. Merapi eruptions.

Teguh Dwi Riyadi, a resident of Gondang village, Paten, Dukun, said on Monday that living in the temporary refugee shelters was better than returning home because the government provided meals for them at the shelters.

“After we came back home from the shelter, the logistics aid was terminated, but our fields are damaged because of the volcanic ash,” he told Antara newswire at a charity event organized by the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).

Teguh said it would take at least three months for the crops to recover because the irrigation systems were damaged. He added that the farmers had no seeds to plant.

PKS spokesman for Central Java, Agung Setia Bakti, said the government should immediately assist the villagers in recovering their livelihoods.