MAGELANG, CENTRAL JAVA — The Dompet Dhuafa Disaster Management Center (DMC) installed warning signs and maps of evacuation routes for the Mount Merapi area community Jrakah Hamlet and Cepagan Hamlet, Kaliurang Village, Srumbung District, Magelang Regency (26/12/2022) .
A total of 28 signposts tower at strategic points to make it easier for residents to evacuate and avoid the threat of natural disasters.
“As a benchmark for residents in the event of an eruption of Mount Merapi. In this way, residents will know the location of the evacuation gathering point,” explained M. Syaiban, Staff of the Community Resilience and Advocation DMC Dompet Dhuafa.
Kaliurang Village is located at an altitude of ± 700 m above sea level with an area of 726 Ha, most of which is a community forest area, located on a mountain slope with a gentle slope and the majority of the population’s work is salak Nglumut farming.
The location of Kaliurang Village is 10 Km from the peak of Mount Merapi, flanked by the Bebeng River and Krasak River which are the main routes of Merapi’s cold lava flow, making it one of the villages in the Disaster Prone Area (KRB) III zone which is vulnerable to the effects of the eruption of Mount Merapi.
Also Read: https://www.dompetdhuafa.org/dompet-dhuafa-dmc-bekali-jurnalis-kesiapsiagaan-bencana/
“In the 2010 eruption, everything was level with the ground, trees also collapsed, houses also collapsed. Panic, someone ran here and there. Everyone panicked because the eruption was so big,” explained Sokidi, a resident who is a snake fruit farmer.
“In 2010 there were no signposts, no directions to where the refugees were. Everyone is panicking, if there is a signpost, the residents know where the gathering point is, where the evacuation route is, so they don’t panic. The hope is that the people here are resilient in dealing with disasters, so that when a disaster occurs, residents are ready to face it,” he added.
Also Read: https://www.dompetdhuafa.org/siaga-bantu-evakuasi-warga-merapi/
By installing disaster-prone signs in this disaster response area, the Dompet Dhuafa DMC team hopes to increase capacity and increase public awareness to be resilient in facing disasters.
Currently, DMC Dompet Dhuafa is maximizing the Disaster Response and Resilience Area (KTTB) program in managing the eruption of Mount Merapi in Kaliurang Village. (Dompet Dhuafa / AFP DMC / Dhika)