Residents of Tagulandang Island being evacuated by a navy ship after Mount Ruang volcano erupted in Sitaro, North Sulawesi. - AFP
JAKARTA (Bernama): Indonesian authorities are keeping tabs on two villages near Mount Ruang in Sitaro, North Sulawesi, even though the volcano’s alert level has been lowered to Level III.
The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) is assisting the local government in ensuring the safety of residents in Pumpente village and Laingpatehi village, and managing relief efforts, said the agency’s spokesperson Abdul Muhairi in a statement Thursday.
Some 14,045 people were affected in Sitaro following the eruptions of Mount Ruang last week, with 6,125 individuals being displaced.
The disaster caused significant damage, affecting 31 places of worship, 11 government offices, 21 educational buildings, five health facilities, 3,331 houses, and severely damaging 363 houses.
On nearby Tagulandang Island, some residents are staying with relatives or in their damaged homes despite roofs being affected by Mount Ruang’s debris.
Abdul Muhairi said monitoring efforts, led by BNPB logistic affairs deputy Dr Lilik Kurniawan and a team using a ship on Thursday, observed some residents salvaging belongings from the aftermath of the eruption last week. - Bernama
