JAKARTA, Dec 10 (NNN-ANTARA) – The death toll in the eruption of Semeru, a volcano in Indonesia’s island of Java, has risen to 43, with 104 people injured, the National Disaster Management Agency said yesterday.
Yesterday’s evacuation process was stopped, as the search and rescue location was covered by dark and overcast clouds, to avoid flooding of volcanic ash, according to the agency’s spokesperson, Abdul Muhari.
“Based on a visual report, thick smoke was also sliding from the peak of Semeru up to 1,000 metres to the west, to south-west direction this (yesterday) morning,” Muhari said.
More than 6,000 people remain in 121 evacuation points, as their homes were swept away by volcanic ash or their settlements are located in the danger zone.
The eruption killed thousands of livestock, such as cows, goats and poultry. Dozens of public facilities, including a bridge connecting districts, were damaged.
Authorities are reviewing the construction of a temporary emergency bridge, to connect the districts of Lumajang and Malang.
The 3,676-metre-high volcano erupted on Saturday.– NNN-ANTARA
