Situation report: 21 April 2006

Indonesia stands on alert once more as Mt. Merapi, one of the country's most active volcanoes, stirs with volcanic activity. The Directorate of Vulcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation on 12 April raised the level of alertness from II to III, indicating a high probability of an eruption; and warned that if it were to occur, would affect adversely the area around Mt. Merapi in Central Java and Yogyakarta. Technical follow-up results of the Research and Technology Development Agency for Vulcanology (BPPTK) Yogyakarta on 19 April documented 113 multi-phase tremors, 13 streams of lava, 8 volcanic tremors, with white and thick sulphurous smoke of 400 m height from its crater. Following the report, BPPTK confirmed on the same day that based on the scientific data, another eruption of Mt. Merapi was imminent.

The governor of Jogyakarta and Central Java strongly advised families at risk to vacate their houses immediately to allow time to bring with them their cattle and other valuables. BPPTK Yogyakarta has also cautioned communities against conducting any activities in the river flowing down from Mt. Merapi. A scientific agency network in Yogyakarta has also developed four scenarios, from the least-case to the worst-case, based on the direction of the lava in the event of an eruption. The Indonesian government is conducting preparation at different levels including at the field, based on the third case scenario, one level below the worst-case scenario, which anticipates the disaster to displace approximately 80,000 people.

With the support of SATKORLAK PB offices of Central Java and Jogyakarta, the districts governments have been stepping up preparedness of resources. At field level (according to SATLAK PB of Boyolali, Magelang, Klaten and Sleman), h t e district governments have already identified and prepared evacuation sites and routes or f the communities . Logistically they are well prepared: 130 trucks provided by the provincial administration of Central Java have been mobilized, while the military command of Central Java has deployed over 200 trucks and buses, and the district administration of Magelang prepared 84 trucks. District and villages operational posts have been established in Boyolali and the health administration there has allocated IDR 1 billion (approximately CHF 28,380,000) for medicines. In Magelang, the local government has mobilized 36 tonnes of rice, 30 packages of medicine, 30 units of kitchen utensils, 300 flashlights with batteries, 300 rain coats, 30,000 masks, 90 emergency lamps, 900 plastic sheets, 600 buckets, 300 units of plasticware to store clean water, and 300 emergency latrines. According to the local SATLAK report, 30 platoon tents, 30 generators and 81 Handy Talkie (HT) communication devices are still needed and placed in an outstanding requirement list. In Sleman, the government and private parties have identified bunkers for use in case of an eruption. In terms of human resource, in Sleman, the military commando f Jogyakarta has deployed three platoons (300 soldiers) plus a medical team of 9 medical doctors, 2 ambulances, 12 company tents, 8 field stoves, 100 folding beds and a generator set. The provincial government of Yogyakarta has mobilized 272 buses and trucks and 69 ambulances.

From national level, the department of social affairs has allocated IDR 400 million (approximately CHF 11,350,000) for three months and also mobilized 100 tonnes of rice for two months, 1,000 boxes of instant noodles, 20 tents including 15 platoon tents, 50 folding beds and a truckload of operational post equipment (including communication tools, public kitchen, latrine and tent). While the department of health is mobilizing 160 body bags, medicines, ambulances and stand-by medical doctors and staff from Semarang, Solo and Yogyakarta.

Districts	Population at risk	Situation as of 20 April
Boyolali	6,399 (total: 59,851)	Local government still monitoring the situation.
Magelang	33,548 (total: 111,461)	Official evacuation will commence from tomorrow morning.
Klaten	1,050 (total: 126,831)	Local government still monitoring the situation.
Sleman	18,967 (total: 56,215)	Official evacuation will commence from tomorrow morning.

Abbreviations
· BPPTK: Center for Volcano Research and Technology Development
· SATLAK: District Disaster Management Committee
· SATKORLAK: Provincial Coordinating Unit for the Management of Disasters
· SO2: sulphur oxide

Mount Merapi Volcano related
· Gunung Merapi likely to erupt