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esidents and volcano watchers are paying close attention to Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra over fears that the volume of hot lava might increase anytime and reach the temporary shelters. Villages across the Karo regency are already under volcanic ash, including their crops.

Now joining the list of over 25,000 displaced by Sinabung'€™s eruptions since late last year are the thousands of families in Jakarta, other areas across Java and also eastern Indonesia, who became flood victims this week. The death toll estimate thus far seems small '€” under 20 in flooded areas, and up to a few dozen among the Karo refugees who reportedly died from illness. But families at the shelters located at the foot of Sinabung have reason to worry that they are being neglected as the flood victims are closer to the capital.

There was more rapid and focused response in the wake of the Mount Merapi eruption in 2010, which killed over 300 people, and the Yogyakarta earthquake in 2006, in which over 6,000 died. But despite fewer fatalities, the floods covering almost the entire North Sulawesi capital of Manado on Wednesday and parts of other cities usually precede reports of various diseases being spread among the thousands displaced, young and old.

Further, with regional autonomy, we no longer have excuses for a central government strained under stretched out resources in the event of simultaneous natural disasters, as local administrations are authorized to set up their own agencies to overcome disasters (BPBD). Coordinated by the provincial office, the agencies would be tasked with providing guidelines and coordinating the channeling of aid, as well as deciding which areas are still prone to disaster, among others things.

It also took a long time for Karo Regent Kena Ukur Karo Jambi Surbakti to visit his people and was criticized when he did, reportedly turning up in a smart suit and tie at the shelters last week.

'€œWe hope Pak President comes so we can express our grief,'€ a woman said. Another questioned what their fate would be as their homes and crops had been ruined while their children had been missing school for months. Post-eruption soil is usually fertile around active volcanoes, but no one will be happy anytime soon.

In earlier cases, the central government had intervened when it was clear that local administrations were clearly working beyond their means in the face of large scale disasters. But Karo reflects signs of a dysfunctional government, with the regent often distracted by protests on various issues, the last involving calls for his impeachment by the local legislative council. Jakarta has refrained from stepping in many local disputes.

But when lives are at stake, the central government cannot wait. Though the disaster agency in the neighboring regency is doing all it can, local officials in Karo and North Sumatra need to be facilitated further so they can take the lead, given the increasing volume of Mt. Sinabung'€™s pyroclastic flows, and evacuate residents further to safety.