Rescuers continued their efforts to locate 12 missing residents while at least 43 others had been confirmed dead in the Mount Semeru eruption as of Friday afternoon, the Surabaya Search and Rescue Office has said.
Hot clouds emitted by Mount Semeru on December 4, 2021 also led to 82 people sustaining minor injuries, head of the operations section of the Surabaya SAR Office, I Wayan Suyatna, informed.
"In addition, it was also noted that 20 victims suffered serious injuries. And based on reports from the community, as many as 12 people were missing," he said in Lumajang on Friday.
He assured that the team is continuing to search for more victims.
The Surabaya SAR Office, the Lumajang Military District Command 0821, and the Lumajang Police Force are conducting the search, he informed.
The East Java Disaster Mitigation Agency, Lumajang Disaster Mitigation Agency, public order officers, Lumajang Transportation Office, Jember and Lumajang SAR Potential, and other potential SAR organizations have also joined in the search operation, he added.
The joint search and rescue team has been divided into three units, Suyatna said.
The first unit is searching the Koboan Bulk hamlet, Supiturang village, Pronojiwo sub-district, Lumajang, he disclosed.
The second unit is searching the H Satuhan sand mine area, he said. The third unit is searching in Kebondeli hamlet and Renteng village, Sumberwuluh village, Candipuro sub-district, Lumajang, he added.
"The search is being conducted with light equipment such as hoes, shovels, and also assisted by East Java Police sniffer dogs," he said.
The search by the joint SAR team has often been hindered by cloudy weather conditions during the day, which cause the peak of Mount Semeru to be covered with thick clouds, thus making visibility poor, he added.
"If the weather is cloudy, search efforts will be temporarily suspended for the safety of all personnel," he informed. (*)
Editor : Slamet Hadi Purnomo
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