Ministry Deploys Disaster Mitigation Team At Mount Sinabung

Jakarta, Sept 19 (Antara) - The Social Ministry has deployed a Disaster Mitigation Team (Tagana) to assist evacuation efforts following the eruption of Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra Province. "The Ministry has sent assistance including several aid packages, as well as deployed a Tagana team," said Indonesian Social Minister Salim Segaf Al Jufri here on Thursday. The Ministry, said Al Jufri, had deployed a 95-member crew in Tagana to distribute buffer stocks as aid and emergency meals and had also established a provisional soup house. According to the Minister, Tagana had established six provisional soup houses and tent shelters in eight areas. Besides this, a ministry sub-official in North Sumatra had also established emergency posts and distributed 600 kilograms of salty fish, as well as vegetables in 21 areas. Mount Sinabung, which is located in the Karo District of North Sumatra, had erupted on September 15 at 2:51 a.m. "The eruption had resulted in thousands of people being evacuated to safer places," Al Jufri stated. The Directorate of Social Protection for Natural Disaster Victims (PSKBA) of Social Affairs Ministry had assigned two persons to assist officials in North Sumatra`s Social and Welfare Sub-office as of September 15, as an effort aimed at assisting refugees in an emergency situation. "All of the officials in the Social Affairs Ministry continue to monitor conditions in Mount Sinabung. We have also deployed a companion team to assist the refugees," Al Jufri pointed out. Based on reports from the Social Ministry`s sub-officials on Wednesday, at least 10 villages had been evacuated and 11,662 refugees moved to 21 shelter areas. The data also indicated that at least 2,308 persons were evacuated from Jambur Sempakata, 800 from Klasis GBKP, 1,200 persons from the KKR GBKP building, 239 from the GBKP Kota building and 1,500 from the Jambur Payung area. Some 1,300 persons were rescued from KWK Berastagi. Additionally, at least 381 persons living in the Klasis Berastagi area have been rescued, 174 persons were evacuated from the Istikar Mosque of Berastagi, 182 from the Great Mosque, 339 from PPWG Kabanjahe, 220 from GBKP Simpang, 50 from the Catholic Church of Kabanjahe, 200 persons from Jambur Tuah Lopati and 1,400 persons were evacuated from Loso Tiganderket. The Ministry also pointed out that at least 500 persons were evacuated from Tanjung Pulo, 100 from the KNPI building, 200 persons from GBKP Sukamakmur, 190 residents from the GBKP building on Kotacane Street, 29 persons were rescued from the Ora Et Labora School and 350 persons living in the Tongkoh Emergency Post were evacuated.