Mount Merapi is a strato-typed volcano with 2980 metres high above the sea. It is located geographically on the position of 7° 32’30” South Latitude and 110° 26'30” East Longitude. Located administratively at 4 districts; Sleman district, Magelang district, Boyolali district and Klaten district.
According to Surono, Chief of Geology Disaster of Mitigation and Volcanology Center (PVMBG), the enhancement of the status of Mount Merapi is based on monitoring of earthquake, deformation, and visual shown any activities increasing significantly.
"The increasing of volcanic activity of Mount Merapi was happening because of amount and volcanic earthquake energy increased significantly since October 22th, 2010. Then, since October 25th 2010 06:00 WIB, the status of Mount Merapi’s activity increased from Aware to Wary" said Surono.
He recommended to allocate people at disaster prone areas immediately, particularly people living in the vicinity of river channel tipped to Mount Merapi, whether it’s South-East South section and West-South West within distance of 10 kilometres from the top of Merapi, included Boyong river, Kuning river, Gendol river and Woro river, Bebeng river, Krasak river and Bedog river and expected all activities around the river side stopped.
Surono also suggested to allocate people of Sleman district who stayed at Purwobinangun village (Turgo sub-village, Kemiri sub-village, Ngepong sub-village), Wonokerto village (Tunggularum sub-village), Girikerto village (Ngandong sub-village, Tritis sub-village, and Nganggring sub-village), Hargobinangun village (West Kaliurang sub-village, Boyong sub-village, East Kaliurang sub-village, and Ngipiksari sub-village), Umbulharjo village (Kinahrejo sub-village, Pangukrejo sub-village, and Gondang sub-village), Kepuharjo village (Kali Tengah Lor sub-village, Kali Tengah Kidul sub-village, Srunen sub-village, and Singlar sub-village).
Next, Klaten district was expected to allocate people who stayed at Balerante village (all sub-villages), Sidorejo village (all sub-villages), and Tagal Mulyo village (all sub-villages). Magelang district was expected to allocate people who stayed at Kemiren village (Jamburejo sub-village and Kemiren sub-village), Kaliurang village (Sumberejo sub-village, North Kaliurang sub-village, South Kaliurang sub-village, and Cepagan sub-village).
Local Government Response Sleman district. The increasing of Merapi’s status to Aware was immediately followed up by Sleman district government. The regent, Drs. H. Sri Purnomo, directly held a coordination meeting, one hour after the status of Merapi raised at 06:00 WIB. The meeting was held at Merapi Pakem main post.
Monday (10/25), attended by Vice-regent Yuni Satia Rahayu, Chief of Resort Police, Kodim commander, Pakem government, Cangkringan and Turi and related offices. At the meeting, the regent ordered to immediately evacuate people in disaster prone area III, started on Monday at 07.00 PM.
"But in the implementation of evacuation for not making people panic and conducted in accordance with the procedures which had been determined and prioritized for expectants, toddlers, and elders. While for lane closure include Pakem, i.e. Kaliburang gate door and Boyong gate door, 3 locations in Cangkringan, 5 locations in Turi, with prohibition signs," he said.
Number of people that was planning to evacuate to Cangkringan is 3.668 people, Pakem 5.871 people, and Turi 1.952 people, and has already prepared 7 evacuation barracks i.e. Glagaharjo, Kepuharjo, Umbulharjo, Hargobinangun, Purwobinangun, Girikerto and Wonokerto, with readiness from Tagana and Indonesian Red Cross officers.
In the implementation of evacuation, it is prioritized to ride people vehicles for smooth traffic on the evacuation road and for not making people in panic. "Sleman government also prepared transportation in Cangkringan, 10 trucks in Kepuharjo village, 10 trucks in Umbulharjo, 7 trucks in Glagaharjo, 6 trucks Turi Wonokerto sub-district, 6 trucks for Girikerto, and self-help from the community itself. Officers are also expected to prepare evacuation infrastructure on each gathering points heading to prepared evacuation barracks," said the regent.
It is also reminded that it is important to record logistic management or all expenses and assistance and by one door for neatness. While for volunteers are expected to report their existence by department of social labor.
According to Chief of Sleman Department of Education, Dra. Suyamsih, learning and teaching activity was stopped for temporary on the first day of the status of Wary, and it is continued in the evacuation. "Implementation of learning was conducted at ordered places, to the closest school in safe areas. for school that can’t accommodate will be done by early afternoon shifts or provided tents outside the school. And for Kindergarten in Girikerto and Wonokerto, 85 children moved to each village hall. Turi primary school has 691 kids, Cangkringan has 345 kids, and Pakem has 515 kids.
Boyolali district, Boyolali government prepared Merapi disaster anticipation post in all levels start from village to district. For district level, Merapi disaster post would be established at Politics of National Unity and Community Protection Agency (Kesbangpolinmas). Chief of Boyolali district Kesbangpolinmas, Sumantri DM, said that post established in district, would be functioned as control of Merapi disaster management activity.
Post in district will be centered at Kesbangpolinmas and its Chief would be acted as coordinator of Merapi disaster management on the district level. "In this case, district government would coordinating continuously with Central Java Disaster Management National Agency (BNPB)," he said.
Monitoring Result From Field Officers. From the communication by phone with field officer of Central Java MDMC, they considered that disaster responses in several districts in Central Java are slowgoing, even there is any concern of contingency plan owned by districts which borders Mount Merapi, is not active yet, even the disaster became High-Alert. This becomes the anxiety of partners on the field, so it is needed to conduct or support local government for immediately implementing the contingency.
Therefore, Central Java MDMC and Center of MDMC planned to held a workshop and coordination due to the disaster management respond of Merapi’s eruption. The events would be done at Magelang Muhammadiyah University on October 27th 2010. On the same time, they also invited humanitarian agencies to join the events.