- Title: INDONESIA: People continue to mine volcanic sands despite threats from Merapi
- Date: 13th November 2010
- Summary: MANISRENGGO VILLAGE, KLATEN DISTRICT, MAGELANG DISTRICT, CENTRAL JAVA PROVINCE, INDONESIA (NOVEMBER 12, 2010) (REUTERS) MOUNT MERAPI SPEW VULCANIC ASH VOLCANIC ASH VOLCANIC ASH COMING OUT FROM MERAPI'S CRATER VARIOUS OF MERAPI SPEW VULCANIC ASH VARIOUS SUN SEEN FROM LEAVES VARIOUS MERAPI'S SLOPE CHILI FARMER AT MERAPI'S SLOPE HAND HOLDING A CHILI VARIOUS OF CHILI FARMER BOYONG RIVER, SLEMAN DISTRICT, YOGYAKARTA PROVINCE, INDONESIA (NOVEMBER 12, 2010) (REUTERS) SAND MINERS AT BOYONG RIVER, ONE OF MERAPI'S UP-STREAM RIVERS SAND MINERS WITH MERAPI IN BACKGROUND VARIOUS OF SAND MINERS (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) A SAND MINER, AMBAR, SAYING "Looking for sand is my livelihood for my family. Yes there are feelings of fear, but to meet my daily needs, there's nothing I can do." SAND MINERS AT RIVER BOYONG MINER TOOK SAND FROM RIVER VARIOUS MINERS LOAD INTO TRUCK
- Embargoed: 28th November 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Indonesia
- Country: Indonesia
- Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Environment / Natural World
- Reuters ID: LVADLEV8JX3NHSPVJMKZX0BU37AO
- Story Text: Despite government orders to the contrary, people living on the slopes of the active Mount Merapi volcano return to work on Friday (November 12) mining mineral rich volcanic sand.
Government officials in the Yogyakarta Province of Indonesia have ordered a mining ban due to Mount Merapi's recent eruptions. Cold lava and ash have been flowing from the volcano for over two weeks, killing 194 people and displacing another 320,000 who live on it's slopes.
The normally mineral rich substance, which is used as a raw building material, is even richer in minerals after an eruption.
This, plus a need to return to work has miners disregarding any possible hazards.
"Looking for sand is my livelihood for my family. Yes there are feelings of fear, but to meet my daily needs, there's nothing I can do," said Ambar, who like other Javanese go by one name is one of many sand miners digging at the Boyong river.
Working in groups of five or six people, miners can produce six trucks of sand per day. They work for five hours a day from 6:00 am to 11:00am, dodging police and authorities who ask them to stop.
Ambar and others could earn as much as IDR 120,000 (US $13.44 dollars) per day, per person.
Although the intensity of eruptions was declining, officials said, the threat still looms with cold lava flooding a particularly persistent problem.
Warnings remain on high alert and a 20 kilometre exclusion zone around the summit remains in place. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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