The Jakarta Post | Wed, 12/28/2011 6:37 PM
As many as 1,489 people have been evacuated following a flood of cold volcanic lava from Mount Gamalama in Ternate, North Maluku, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) said.
“Three people died and five were injured, while 489 families comprising 1,489 people have been evacuated,” BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said Wednesday in a press statement.
According to Sutopo, the three people who died were identified as Iskandar Kasim, 38, Galang Kasim, 10, and Iga Safitri, 10.
He also said 10 houses in Tubo subdistrict had been washed away.
“The regional disaster management agency will carry out emergency measures,” he said.
The status of the Mt. Gamalama volcano, which erupted on Dec. 4, has been increased to alert level 3, or siaga, on a scale of four levels. (swd)