RI HIt 203 Disasters in January: BNPB

Jakarta (Antara) - A total of 203 natural disasters hit Indonesia in January 2014, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB). "There were 203 natural disasters occurring in various parts of Indonesia from January 1 to January 31, 2014, with the death toll reaching 178," Head of BNPB's Information Data Affairs Sutopo Purwo said here on Monday. The agency also recorded the evacuation of 1.2 million people escaping various disasters. "The largest number of evacuees was from North Sulawesi. The funds needed to carry out rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts reached almost Rp2 trillion. We are still collecting data," Purwo added. He explained that disasters with a significant impact had occurred in Jakarta, where 30,784 people were evacuated to 140 refugee camps. Seven people died due to electrocution, disease or being swept away by flood waters. One major disaster was the eruption of MT Sinabung in Karo District, North Sumatra. Fifteen people were killed by getting caught in hot clouds of ash. Three others suffered burns. "A team of 170 persons is still combing various locations where victims are still expected to be found. This cannot be rushed because the volcano is still erupting," Sutopo said. He pointed out that his agency suspected there were still victims buried under the volcanic ash, which is up to 30 centimeters thick in some parts. The Sinabung eruption forced 30,117 residents, or about 9,388 families, to evacuate. Another disaster to have a major impact was the flash flood in Manado, North Sulawesi, where some 40 thousand residents were evacuated because they were displaced. A total of 19 residents were killed. Floods and landslides were also recorded as major disasters in Jombang, East Java, killing 12 people. (*)