East Java, thousands of people flee erupting volcano Kelud
Jakarta (AsiaNews
) - Thousands of people have fled their homes following the eruption of the
volcano Kelud , in the province of East Java. Within
hours columns of ash and smoke billowed from the summit, creating considerable
problems for traffic and visibility. There
was serious transport problems in Klaten, Yogyakarta and Surakarta in Central
Java, where visibility was reduced to about three or four meters. Motorists
and bikers had to "abandon" vehicles on the side of the road, because
they are unable to continue. Debris
was scattered hundreds of miles from the crater, and so far there have been
official victims, who died as a result of the collapse of their home under an accumulation
of ash.
Andre
Priyono, a resident of Klaten regency, Central Java, told AsiaNews that "I had to stop my bike on my way to work, in
Yogyakarta", in a Gondang sugar factory. "I
couldn't see anything - he says - through a thick haze caused by the volcanic
ash, the visibility was reduced to just three meters". He also confirmed "dozens
of road accidents "because of "reduced visibility" .
Niniek,
form Yogyakarta , adds that "the schools are closed today" and people
are invited to stay in their homes, while wearing masks to minimize the danger
of ingesting dust and ashes. Even
in Surakarta, Central Java, the schools and offices are closed, the streets
empty.
The
eruption has caused serious problems, even for major airports in the area. The
international airports of Yogyakarta and Solo, in central Java and Surabaya in
East Java are closed. Many
flights have been canceled due to the reduced visibility and the accumulation
of volcanic material on the runway and aircraft.
Environmentalists
and civil protection experts had recently issued a warning for possible new eruptions
following the eruption of the volcano Sinabung (North Sumatra). Moreover,
the Indonesian archipelago is made up of thousands of islands and atolls
surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, in an area known by scientists as the "Ring
of Fire". It
is characterized by intense seismic and volcanic activity caused by the
collision of several continental plates.
Memories
of the devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit the region in
December 2004 are still alive in peoples minds, with an epicenter off the coast
of Aceh, causing hundreds of thousands of victims throughout Asia. On 30
October 2009, another strong earthquake affected the area of Padang resulting
in about 700 deaths. Over 180 houses were razed to the ground. Currently,
experts have ranked 19 other volcanoes scattered throughout the country at
"level two alert", or subject to close monitoring.
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03/10/2018 11:24
