"Mt Gamalama is still unstable and as of Tuesday night it was still spewing volcanic materials. Therefore we want the period of emergency response extended," Bahktiar, one of the refugees, said here on Thursday.
On behalf of other refugees, Bahktial made the call for the extension of emergency response following a statement, made by Ternate Mayor Burhan Abdurrahman that on December 16 all refugees should return to their respective homes because the period of emergency response would end on December 15.
Mt Gamalama erupted on Sunday night, December 4, 2011, causing a lot of material damage in Ternate.
The 1,700-meter high volcano spewed ash which fell on Ternate city.
Some of the local residents living on the slopes of Mt Gamalama took refuge at their relatives` houses near the city`s coastal areas.
Following the eruption, a stream of cold lava struck 16 residential houses in Tubo village, bridge and embankments that would need billions of rupiah to rehabilitate the damaged facilities.
The Ternate mayor said the local government would immediately rehabilitate the damaged facilities, including the river embankment that was built in Tubo village in 1980.
In the meantime, a number of local residents expressed regret over a lack of information from the city administration and other relevant parties about the volcano`s status.
A number of residents were still staying at several evacuation centers in Ternate because Mount Gamalama was still in an alert-III status. (*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
