Government Evacuates 886 People Near Mount Gamalama

Ternate, N Maluku (Antara Bali) - The Ternate Administration on Sunday evacuated at least 886 people from three villages near Mount Gamalama which has been spewing volcanic materials since last Saturday.

The Ternate Mayor Burhan Abdurahman said here, the government evacuated 227 families which are dominated by elder people and children.

"The Ternate City Administration prioritizing elder people and children to be evacuate from Mount Gamalama. Thus they can avoid diseases due to volcanic ashes from the mount," Burhan said.

The administration is monitoring the security condition of the people in four areas of Ternate City after the mount eruption.

According to the report, there were four villages in Pulau Ternate Sub-district which are affected by the Gamalama eruption such as Takome, Loto, Togafo and Afetaduma.

Burhan said the local administration has distributed masks and operating fire fighter truck to clear roads from the volcanic ashes.

The Ternate Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency and North Maluku disaster mitigation agency also prepared several vehicles to avoid people from volcanic lava debris flow of Mount Gamalama.

The agencies prepared vehicles in three villages including Loto, Togafo and Takome.

The Chief of Ternate mitigation agency Hasyim Yusuf said the administration prepared four evacuation shelters for the people who affected by the eruption such as in Ternate Indonesian Navy Base Headquarter, Study Center Hall, the Vocational School II hall, and the hall of Ternate Fishery and Maritime Service.

Ternate administration has stated emergency effort relating to the eruption of Mount Gamalama starting from 18 July-1 August 2015.

The administration utilizes local unexpected funding from 2015 Regional Budget to mitigate eruption of Mount Gamalama. (WDY)