MAGELANG (KU) – The Disaster Early Response Unit (DERU) UGM team in cooperation with Badan Amil Zakat Nasional (Baznas), and Foreign Affairs Ministry on Monday (1/11) distributed aid for internally displaced persons affected by the eruption of Mt. Merapi in Sawangan sub-district, Magelang and Selo, Boyolali in Central Java. The aid in the form of pampers, masks, batik cloths, sarong, shirts, blankets, mats, and underwears were presented by the team on the site. In Magelang, the aid is stored at the Tirtosari station, SMP N 1 Sawangan station, and Klangon station.
Chairman of DERU UGM, Slamet Widiyanto, M.Sc., said that the aid was delivered to all areas affected by the eruptions in Yogyakarta and Central Java. “Aid delivery is based on the need on the site, assessment is done by volunteers,” Slamet said.
Based on the assessment, according to Slamet, food aid is already sufficient, therefore, aid is prioritized more on clothing. DERU UGM was established as disaster emergency response. This unit facilitates long term needs of survivors dand this will continue until the post-emergency response. The team always develops the concept of partnership in garnering assistance.
After the Merapi disaster, DERU plans to conduct activities that involves various aspects such as education focusing on recovery efforts in the disaster sites. Those will be done through community empowerment that involves UGM partners. “DERU expects support from the society and all partners to re-develop various aspects such as economy, social matters, health and public administration through community empowerment,” he said.
At Tirtosari station, the DERU team sent aid for 407 people, consisting of 128 men, 168 women, 18 infants, and 93 senior citizens. According to Lusiati (42), a woman in charge of logistics, they lack of food and tents. "We're short of towels, eggs, flour and cooking oil," she said.
In the SMPN 1 Sawangan school that has been changed into IDP station, there are 1,029 people occupying 12 schoolrooms. School activities are halted and staff are involved to help the IDPs. Meanwhile, Klangon field accommodates 2,500 people from 5 villages. Field coordinator, Sumarno, said that on Saturday it was inhabited by some 5000 people.
Based on the data from the Magelang branch of Red Cross office, 32,235 people stay in 61 barracks, including in Srumbung (5.546 people, Dukun (2.696), Sawangan (4.329), Salam (945), Muntilan (6.761), and Mungkid (12.142).