People's Safety Should Be Prioritized: President

Malang, East Java, Feb 18 (Antara) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has instructed that the Mount Kelud emergency response team should keep the safety of the people living around the erupting volcano as priority. "Please be patient, we should prioritize safety; damaged houses could be repaired, and damaged farms could be replaced later," President Yudhoyono stated, here on Tuesday, when visiting a refugees` service post in Pujon, Malang district, East Java. The head of state told hundreds of refugees to stay in refugee camps until the condition is safe. "Our target is to save lives, so I call for your cooperation. Please listen to the guidance given by the government officers, both from the regional and central levels. It`s for your own good," he emphasized. He added that the government will help repair damaged infrastructure immediately. "The repairs include that of damaged houses, medical facilities, schools, and farming areas," he explained. The president also expressed his gratitude to the volunteers who helped the refugees of Mount Kelud eruption. During the visit to the refugee camps, Yudhoyono was accompanied by First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, East Java Governor Soekarwo and several ministers. The Pujon refugee camps accommodate 600 to 700 people and provide food and medical services to about 7 thousand other displaced people who are staying in other areas. Mount Kelud, located at the border of Blitar and Kediri districts, East Java Province, erupted on Thursday (Feb. 13), at 10.50 p.m. local time. It spewed gravel and ash that reached up to West Nusa Tenggara and West Java provinces, which are hundreds of kilometers away. The major explosive eruption of the 1,731-meter volcano could be heard in Solo (Central Java) and Yogyakarta, which lie around 200 km away. The eruption of Mt Kelud on Thursday (Feb. 13), forced around 200 thousand people to flee, forcing closures of airports and schools in several cities in Indonesia`s most densely populated island of Java. Mount Kelud`s last major eruption was in 1990, when it spewed ash and lava that killed more than 30 people and injured hundreds. In 1919, the volcano`s powerful explosion reportedly could be heard hundreds of kilometers away and claimed at least 5,160 lives.