The aid tents are providing shelter to the refugees and doubling up as service centers and points of logistics distribution. They are also providing social protection services.
“This is not only a shelter tent, but also functions as a service center, distribution of logistical assistance, and protection for refugees and regional services for disaster victims,” Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said on Thursday.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted on Thursday afternoon, spewing a column of volcanic ash that reached a height of more than 10 thousand meters above the peak of its active crater. A similar eruption was recorded in November 2024.
The minister informed that shelters and other emergency services are crucial for accelerating the physical, social, and psychological recovery process of residents affected by the disaster.
Data from the ministry shows that so far, 1,140 families or 4,954 people have been affected by the eruption. Of that number, 713 families or 2,359 people have taken refuge at the field post in Titehena sub-district.
“There were no casualties from the eruption, but the emergency conditions require the evacuation of residents from disaster-prone zones,” Yusuf said.
The shelters built by the ministry are equipped with public kitchens and basic service facilities to accommodate the needs of the refugees.
Public kitchens have been established at several locations, such as the villages of Kanada, Koma, Pokan, Lewolaga, Ile Gerong, Kabumsama, to Ibutobi to provide food to people affected by the eruption.
“Proper handling of refugees in tents will accelerate the process of recovery of victims, physically, socially, and psychologically,” the minister said.
So far this year, the total aid distributed by the ministry has reached around Rp5 billion (US$297 thousand). The figure excludes assistance provided at the end of 2024, which was higher.
Yusuf said that his ministry has also deployed a Disaster Alert Cadet (Tagana) team to evacuate residents, assist with basic services, and provide support during the evacuation period.
“We are working with the regional disaster mitigation agency (BPBD), district and provincial social services, as well as the police and military. We are focusing on data collection, protection, and distribution of logistics to the right beneficiaries,” he added.
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Translator: M. Riezko Bima, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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