The journey of Dian Mandiri's team today is heading towards the west are of mount Merapi. We will be traveling to an area only four kilometers away from the peak of mount Merapi. The west side of Merapi has endured far worse compared to the east from this disaster. This area is covered by a thick layer of volcanic ash, and not only that, but also a hot could of gas and debris known to the locals as 'Wedhus Gembel'.
Our travels across the lands are fairly distant from our post in Yogyakarta. This time we passed an area which connects between two cities of Yogyakarta and Solo. Through out the journey, the locals seem to have continued their daily activities, but once in a while remnants of volcanic ashes are still visible along the street, including branches, leaves, infrastructure such as gates and fences. It seems to be that the conditions around Merapi after the disaster have not yet fully recovered.
Finally we arrived in an area just outside of Klaten at 11.15 A.M. According to the information we recieved, this area has been scourged heavily by the hot volcanic ash. We did not know which area the locals described, until we discovered a Search And Rescue Team Post. We exited our vehicle and tried to ask towards the S.A.R. team siting around in front of the post about this heavily devastated area.
That area is the Village of Balerante and only four kilometers away from the peak of mount Merapi. The Search And Rescue team Immediately offered to guide us towards the location. From the S.A.R. outpost, we had to travel another ten kilometers to reach the village.
Quiet and full of ashes like a ghost town, this is our first impression upon reaching the gates of Balerante. According to the information given by the S.A.R. team, the residents of this village have evacuated the area long before the thick ashes poured. The entire village survived, but their belongings, house, agriculture and livestock are gone devoured by the hot cloud of Merapi.
The appalling condition intensified as soon as we got out of our vehicle and inhaled the surrounding air. The scent of cold, moisture intertwined with the stench of rotten flesh of the livestock pierced our senses.This aroma disturbed our sense of smell, but according to the search and rescue team who guided us, this scent of death is nothing compared to the previous day when they arrived in the area for the very first time after the disaster, burning all remaining livestock in the village.
Even though this event did not claimed any lives of its residents, the condition of this village is beyond words. All infrastructure are collapsed and covered with thick layers of ashes rendering it uninhabitable. The plantation which is the primary source of lively hood of the residents can no longer be relied upon, all are destroyed and flattened to the ground. All livestock which were not evacuated perished, like the 21 cattle which were sheltering in a barn. The village of Balerante has now changed into a deserted ghost town unsuitable to live in.
Even though this event did not claimed any lives of its residents, the condition of this village is beyond words. All infrastructure are collapsed and covered with thick layers of ashes rendering it uninhabitable. The plantation which is the primary source of lively hood of the residents can no longer be relied upon, all are destroyed and flattened to the ground. All livestock which were not evacuated perished, like the 21 cattle which were sheltering in a barn. The village of Balerante has now changed into a deserted ghost town unsuitable to live in.
After documenting of the area is complete, we decided to move on. However, not far from where we parked, lies a house which was occupied by the search and rescue teams among the young and able of the residents, monitoring the condition of the village on site. We stopped by the house, and distributed some of the aid that we brought into the area, such as sarong, rice, instant noodles, and vitamins. They were very exited and added that they were also in need of an electric generator.
Aid and donation were limited in the area due to the fact that this is well inside the danger zone, restricting access into the area. Only the search and rescue teams along with local security personnel are permitted to guard the area, even though this is inside the twenty kilometer evacuation radius set by the government. The residents are evacuated to refuge camps, not permitted to visit their homes.
According to the search and rescue teams guarding the village, the residents of the village will be permitted to visit the area of Balerante soon, but not to stay. The majority of the residents have decided to move to another village which is more secure and with better conditions, yet more than a few residents have decided to stay in Balerante and hold out.
Currently the main problems are recovering the condition of the village and steps to be taken post-disaster. It is undoubtedly that a lot of the residents will lose their livelihood along with their house. They will face harsher challenges compared to living in the refuge camps. They need aid from people who are fortunate like us.
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