President Yudhoyono Ispects Evacuation Centers

Kediri, E Java (Antara) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono inspected Mt. Kelud's eruption evacuation center at An-Nuur Mosque in Kediri on Monday. "Together with the First Lady, I would only want to assure that everything has been handled well," he stated with the evacuees around him. After being assured that everything was alright he expressed gratitude for all the services that have been provided for the evacuees. "Thank you again that everything has been okay," he reiterated. The evacuation center at the mosque accommodates around 3 thousand people coming from villages within a radius of 7 to 10 kilometers from the mountain. At noon, however, the number dropped to only one thousand, mostly senior citizens, as the younger ones went about doing their daily activities. Mt. Kelud, located on the border of three districts namely Kediri, Blitar and Malang, erupted at around 10.50 p.m. on Thursday spewing ash and gravel. The volcanic ash went as far away as West Java and the West Nusa Tenggara provinces located hundreds of kilometers away. The volcano spewed volcanic materials as high as 17 kilometer estimated to reach 200 million cubic meters, which were then flown away by winds. According to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency, the materials, at a height between 1.5 thousand and 3 thousand meters, had been blown northward and northeastward, while at the height of 5 thousand had been blown northwest, while from 10 thousand to 15 thousand meters high was blown westward and southwestward, and at the height of 17 thousand meters, went eastward. President Yudhoyono was also accompanied by several ministers concerned with the inspection that would later also include Blitar. The head of state travelled by train from Jakarta to Madiun, where he spent the night at the Iswahyudi Air Force Base before traveling to Kediri by car. (*) Reporting by GNC Aryani / ANTARA FOTO/Siswowidodo/ss/nz/14