Tens of thousands refuse to evacuate
KARANGASEM: Tens of thousands of villagers on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali are refusing to evacuate a 10km danger zone around an erupting volcano, putting their fate in the hands of the gods or simply staying put to protect homes and livestock.
The glowing, 3,000m-high Mount Agung, considered sacred by many on the Hindu-majority island, started spewing huge columns of ash at the weekend and there have been constant tremors and volcanic mud flows since.
Search and rescue teams making daily forays into the zone say some are refusing to leave their cattle unattended, while others have spiritual reasons.
“The government has been clear about evacuation orders, but some people are slow to act or want to stay,” said Gede Ardana, head of Bali’s search and rescue agency.
“We cannot force them but we will be held responsible, so we need to convince them.”
For cattle farmer Ketut Suwarte, there was no question of staying put.
“There was thick ash falling around us and we could smell sulphur. We were scared and decided to leave immediately,” said Suwarte, 47, now staying in an evacuation camp just outside the danger zone.
Suwarte’s father recalled the last time Mount Agung exploded, in 1963, killing about 1,000 people as pyroclastic flows – made up of hot gas and volcanic matter – raced down the mountain.
Sutopo Purwo Nugroho of the disaster mitigation agency said about 43,000 people had heeded advice to take shelter, but with an estimated population of 90,000 to 100,000 in the danger area, many had not.
Ika Wardani, 33, sleeps with her family at an evacuation centre at night, but during the day she returns to her cattle farm about 10 km north of the volcano.
“During the day at least we can see the volcano. But we’re uncomfortable sleeping here at night because an earthquake or loud explosion would cause panic,” she said.
“We would have to drive our motorbikes at night and the roads are narrow, so it’s safer to spend the nights at the evacuation centre.”
She said there were people living only 5km from the crater who had refused to evacuate.
The government has set up radio stations and chat groups online to warn people of the risks.