IOM delivers clothes to victims of Indonesian volcanic eruption

The International Organization of Migration (IOM) said on Friday that it distributed this week its first batch of relief items to victims of the Mount Sinabung volcanic eruption, sending 2,000 sets of school clothes to students whose homes were destroyed due to the eruptions in Karo regency, North Sumatra. "The clothes were provided at the request of the local government and tailored to the needs of primary, middle and high school students according to their age and size. IOM will distribute another batch of nearly 5,000 sets of clothes next week", said the IOM in a press release from its Headquarters in Geneva. Mount Sinaburg began erupting sporadically in September last year, prompting the evacuation of nearly 10,000 families, over 32,000 residents, to 42 shelters, and claiming 16 lives. The government issued the highest level of alert in December, meaning that residents whose homes lie within five km of the volcano can still not return to the area. The eruptions also caused more than USD 82 million worth of damage in the agricultural and housing sectors alone. Indonesian President SB Yudhoyono visited the disaster zone in January to comfort displaced residents camped out in evacuation shelters and to discuss reconstruction efforts. The local authorities have been working hard to help victims and put displaced children into schools, with clothes badly needed. Denis Nihill, IOM's Chief of Mission in Indonesia, said: "Thanks to USD 100, 000 from USAID, IOM in close coordination with the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB) was able to move ahead with emergency assistance to victims of the volcanic eruptions." Mount Sinabung is one of 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia. Its previous violent eruptions happened in 2010, when at least two people were killed and 30,000 displaced. Previously IOM also assisted the Indonesian Government after the Merapi volcanic eruptions in 2012 by implementing disaster relief and recovery projects, including a volcanic eruption livelihoods recovery programme.