YOGYAKARTA/JAKARTA, 18 November 2010 (IRIN) - Almost 70,000 evacuees from volcanic eruptions on Mt Merapi on the Indonesian island of Java returned to their homes after the government declared some no-go areas safe again, but the emergency response phase of the disaster is still in place.

"We haven't yet declared the emergency response phase over because Merapi is still on highest alert and there are still eruptions," Syamsul Muarif, head of the country's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), told IRIN.

More than 575 people remain hospitalized following recent eruptions.

"We cannot estimate when it will end. As long as Merapi remains on highest alert the emergency phase will remain in place," he added. When the volcano erupted on 25 October, the government declared an initial 14-day emergency period.

As of 18 November, there are still 296,596 displaced by the volcano, scattered throughout 747 sites in Central Java, according to BNPB. Once the emergency phase is declared over, the authorities will began assessments to build temporary housing, said BNPB's head of public relations, Hartje Robert.

"The military will build the housing on land made available by different local governments. Only villagers whose houses were destroyed in the eruptions will be entitled to the temporary houses," he said.

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