"Residents have to be relocated for safety because the condition of Mount Ruang is not yet completely stable after the second phase eruption a few days ago,"
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has confirmed that 5,255 Tagulandang Island residents affected by the recent eruptions of Mount Ruang in North Sulawesi have been evacuated from the island.

Head of the BNPB's Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center, Abdul Muhari, informed here on Saturday that the number is based on a recapitulation conducted as of Saturday during evacuation efforts carried out by a joint team.

The figure reflects an increase of 1,891 from the number of evacuees shifted earlier to posts spread across Manado, Bitung, North Minahasa, and Siau Island.

Thus, around 3,828 people of the targeted 9 thousand to 12 thousand people in Tagulandang remain to be evacuated. They are expected to be shifted by Sunday (May 5, 2024).

The target was set after a recent meeting between the BNPB, the North Sulawesi government, and the emergency response team.

"The joint team is still working to evacuate the remaining residents, including distributing logistics and equipment that they need during this emergency response period," Muhari said.

Earlier, BNPB head Suharyanto said that evacuation efforts are still relying on ship and land vehicle assistance provided by the Indonesian Navy, the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), the XIII/Merdeka Regional Military Command, and the North Sulawesi Regional Police.

He confirmed that he has increased the number of ships deployed to transport the remaining victims to 11 ships.

The crossing routes taken to the evacuation ports comprise Tagulandang-Manado, Tagulandang-Bitung, Tagulandang-Pahe Siau, and Tagulandang-Munte.

"Residents have to be relocated for safety because the condition of Mount Ruang is not yet completely stable after the second phase eruption a few days ago," he said.

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Translator: M Riezko, Raka Adji
Editor: Arie Novarina
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