The Lumajang District Government, East Java, has begun to map and search for suitable locations for residential relocation for those affected by Mount Semeru’s hot clouds.

“We have seen which zones are safe to be used as relocation sites for housing damaged by the impact of Mount Semeru’s hot clouds,” Indah Amperwati, the deputy head of Lumajang District, stated at the Penanggal Village Command Post, Candipuro Sub-district, Lumajang District, on Friday.

Amperwati noted that her administration had listed several spots as relocation sites for the residents affected by the Mount Semeru disaster, and the chosen location belonged to Perhutani.

“Of course, the land we will issue (for relocation) is the land belonging to the state, managed by Perhutani, because it is quite spacious and allows for relocation of the residents’ houses,” she elaborated.

Amperwati spoke of discussions to still be held with the geological agency on some of the relocation sites to ensure that the selected places were within the safe zone.

The government plans to relocate some two thousand houses affected by the volcanic activity of Mount Semeru, at an altitude of 3,676 meters above sea level, to a safer place.

Perum Perhutani had agreed to offer their forest land to be used as a relocation site for victims, who had lost their homes due to Mount Semeru’s increased volcanic activities. This was possible on account of no problems from the administrative and technical sides.

“In principle, administratively and technically, there are no problems while awaiting proposals and collecting data on the safest locations,” President Director of Perum Perhutani Wahyu Kuncoro noted in a press release.

Source: Antara News