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C. Java vigilant against Merapi's cold lava flows, flooding
The Central Java administration is remaining alert against natural disasters, such as Mount Merapiâs cold lava floods and flash floods, which are expected to increase during this year's rainy season
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he Central Java administration is remaining alert against natural disasters, such as Mount Merapi's cold lava floods and flash floods, which are expected to increase during this year's rainy season.
Central Java Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) head Sarwa Pramana said that since December last year, the agency had warned people to remain vigilant against possible natural disasters that might occur until March.
'We are paying special attention to the top of Mt. Merapi following recent cold lava floods flowing down to rivers, although the rainfall has not been too heavy,' Sarwa said after a meeting with Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the head of Semarang's Water Resources and Mineral Resources Management Agency (PSDA-ESDM), Agus Riyanto, said on Thursday that the city administration had allocated Rp 13.3 billion (US$1.1 million) to mitigate flooding this year.
'This will be used to acquire land to build dams and to normalize and restore rivers,' he said.
At the beginning of this year, extreme weather conditions and natural disasters, such as floods, landslides and high waves, have claimed lives in Central Java. In December last year, landslides in three regencies ' Banjarnegara, Kebumen, and Purworejo ' killed six people.
In Temanggung regency, a whirlwind damaged several homes on Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, high waves caused a machine vessel in Karimunjawa waters off Jepara regency to sink. The regency's search and rescue team has had to temporarily halt its search operation to find missing crew members due to rough seas.
Separately, Merapi's cold lava floods buried four vehicles belonging to sand miners that were parked in a river to take uploaded sand. The cold lava floods have also threatened areas at the foot of Mt. Merapi, which touches Magelang, Yogyakarta, Boyolali and Klaten regencies.
'Major eruptions by Mt. Merapi tend to occur once every four years. Its last major eruption was in 2010. So, similar volcanic activity will probably take place again in 2014,' Sarwa said. (ebf)
