The GMIM elementary school at Kinilow and Catholic elementary school at Kinilow 1 were empty as their students were taking refuge in emergency camps, Evi Torar, a GMIM school teacher, said here on Monday.
"Currently, the students are being accommodated at refugee camps, so there are no class activities. A number of teachers are also taking refuge due to the volcanic eruptions," she said.
However, six out of the GMIM elementary school`s 302 students did come to the school.
"Until now, six students did ome to school," Torar said.
Kinolow`s Inpres elementary school had temporary closed since Tuesday (July 12), according to Boy Manoppo of Kinilow village.
"The school is located in the danger zone, so residents have been evacuated due to the increased activity of Mount Lokon," he said.
Mount Lokon which is located in Tomohon, has been erupting several times since Sunday (July 10) prompting more than 4,100 people to evacuate to safer places.
The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported that Mount Lokon in North Sulawesi erupted twice on Monday (July 19), namely at 1.24 Central Indonesian Standard Time (WITA) and 1.34 WITA.
"The first eruption produced thick gray clouds that rose to a height of 200 meters and the second one the same material that went up to 600 meters above the Tompaluan crater," Chief of BNPB`s Data and Information Center Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.
The number of refugees was currently recorded at 4,146 who have been accommodated at several locations.
The BNPB had distributed emergency tents, blankets, mattresses, and canned food; set up public kitchens; and was keeping mobile medical services on standby.
The refugees were given shelters at 26 locations among other things at City Park, churches` halls, a neighborhood the Christian University of Tomohon, and the State University of Manado.
(Uu.F001/HAJM/A014)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
