Indonesia starts to bury volcano victims

Thu, 28 Oct 2010

Sleman, Indonesia - Indonesia on Thursday began burying victims of a volcanic eruption on Java island, as some residents returned to their villages in defiance of official warnings to stay in emergency shelters.

Tuesday's eruption of Mount Merapi, the country's most active volcano, killed at least 29 people and injured more than 50, said Nelis Zuliasri, a spokeswoman for the National Disaster Management Agency.

Two people were listed as missing as of Thursday, she said.

Hundreds of people attended a funeral ceremony for 23 of the victims in Umbulharjo village near the city of Yogyakarta.

Among those buried was Mbah Maridjan, the spiritual keeper of the volcano, who was killed along with several others when searing volcanic debris slammed into their village.

His body was found in a prostrate position, as if praying.

Tuesday's deadly outbreak occurred one day after authorities upgraded the volcano's danger alert status to its highest level.

Jets of searing gas burned trees, crops and livestock and covered entire neighborhoods in grey ash.

Meanwhile, about 50 sand miners in Rahayu village on the eastern slope of the volcano returned to work despite a warning not to go near the 10-kilometer danger zone.

"We didn't work for two days," said Sugiyem, a 60-year-old woman who said she had been a sand miner for 30 years. "If we stop working we won't be able to eat."

"This is the only job we have," she said. Sands from volcanic eruptions have created jobs for many living on Merapi's flanks.

Some of the 45,000 people who have moved to government-run shelters also returned to their villages.

Jumniyasih, a resident of Kali Adem village about 5 kilometers from the volcano's peak, said she wanted to feed her cattle and clean the house.

"If the situation is calm, I will stay. But if it's dangerous, I will return to the shelter," she said.

The 2,968-meter volcano, located about 500 kilometers south-east of Jakarta, last erupted in 2006, killing two people.

Its most deadly eruption on record occurred in 1930 when 1,370 people were killed. At least 66 people were killed in a 1994 eruption.

Indonesia has the highest density of volcanoes in the world with about 500 in the 5,000-kilometer-long archipelago nation. Nearly 130 are active, and 68 are listed as dangerous.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/350770,starts-bury-volcano-victims.html.