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INDONESIAN OFFICIALS HAVE been searching through thick ash for bodies today after Mount Sinabung volcano erupted, killing at least 15 people.
Scorching clouds engulfed victims during the eruption on Saturday, leaving rescuers with little hope of finding survivors as they searched through ash up to 30 centimetres (12 inches) thick.
About 170 people, including from the military and police, armed with chainsaws and oxygen apparatus spread out through apocalyptic-like destruction in Sukameriah village, officials said.
Sukameriah, just 2.7 kilometres from Sinabung’s crater, is located in the “red zone” around the volcano, where human activities are strictly banned, disaster official Tri Budiarto said. Residents had been evacuated.
‘No sign of life’
“It’s very dangerous and completely out of bounds. But many of the tourists still secretly went to the area to take photographs,” Budiarto added.
An Indonesian soldier runs on an ash-covered road as he searches for victims. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
The first team to enter the village on Sunday morning emerged 15 minutes later empty-handed, a correspondent there said.
“There’s no sign of human life. All the crops were gone. Many houses were damaged and those still standing were covered in thick white ash. It was hard to walk in ash which nearly reached my calves,” Gito, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, told AFP.
He added:
We didn’t find bodies but we picked up a bag belonging to one of the victims. The cellphone was ringing.
Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the spokesman for the National Disaster Management Agency, was unable to put a figure to the number of people still missing, but said there was a “chance” that the death toll might rise.
People search for victims. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
“A body was spotted near a tree, but we have yet to evacuate (it),” he said.
Survivors
Officials said finding survivors was unlikely.
“I doubt it would be possible for anyone to survive the heat clouds yesterday. So far, we have not found any more bodies,” said Lieutenant Colonel Asep Sukarna, who led the search operation.
The volcano on the western island of Sumatra started erupting in September, but on Saturday spewed hot rocks and ash 2,000 metres (16,00 feet) into the air, blanketing the surrounding countryside with grey dust.
A motorbike covered in dust from the volcano. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Fourteen people — mainly local tourists, including four secondary school students on a sightseeing trip — were killed by lethal heat clouds which cascaded down the volcano.
A 24-year-old man who was accompanying his father to pay respects at the graves of their relatives died from his injuries early on Sunday, raising the death toll to 15, Nugroho said.
Search operation
Two other people are being treated for serious burns at a local hospital.
Officials warned that the threat of more searing heat clouds and weather conditions may affect search operations.
A man weeps after identifying a victim of the volcano. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
“It’s cloudy today so we worry that it might rain,” Karo district spokesman Robert Peranginangin said. “If it rains, the area will be muddy and hard to walk, so we will have to stop search and rescue.”
Officials are also putting up more signs to warn people not to enter the area, officials said.
Mount Sinabung is one of 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia that straddle major tectonic fault lines, known as the Pacific Ring of Fire.
The country’s most active volcano, Mount Merapi in central Java, killed more than 350 people in a series of eruptions in 2010.
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Its because Haughey was one of the biggest Irish crime bosses in the 20th Century. The Irish cant get enough of Gangsters. We have a perverse love affair with them.
We do indeed. Look at John G hero. Filling the papers
Speaking to Miriam O’Callaghan on RTÉ Radio 1 this morning, the veteran PR expert said it was “extraordinary” that the fascination had remained.
It remains because Haughey’s and FF’s corruption has had such far reaching consequences for all of us. It shapes the way we spend our days
And bought off the masses with a free bus pass.
That’s the masse for you Lucinda !
What a clown, just goes to show how RTE is the Governments propaganda wing
He had Miriam dripping all over him. It must be the legendary charm he likes to think he has….
Her brother Jim OCallaghan is a Fianna Fail councillor for Dublin South East. A lot of RTE is one big RTE clique, all longing for a return to the glory days.
*FF clique – Same with Ryan Tubridy, whose father was an FF TD, grand father was a prominent member and two of his cousins are Chris Andrew and Barry Andrews.
SHOWTIME
Isn’t Tubs related to the Lenihan brothers and Mary O’Rourke too? Maybe not!
““They should look at the whole man and reflect on the good things that he did as well as the things he maybe shouldn’t have done”
He MAYBE shouldn’t have done. Still a PR man I see PJ.
So pj what your trying to say is rte will remain rubbish add t .v. paying 160 a year to watch adds. Were would you get it
Charlie was corrupt no doubt about it but he wasn’t incompetent like most of the current bunch. We will never get quality in government as long as we are electing the clown that makes the most promises every time .
Don’t forget all the promises that Haughey made to get elected in the 80s, and then did an immediate U-turn on with his famous “Ireland is living beyond its means” speech.
‘Divisive Politician’. What an extraordinarily PC term. Anyone care to suggest more appropriate terms? Let me start…. ‘Criminal’.
Filth
A right charvet.
RTE, fianna fail, elitism, corruption, publicans, horseracing, high court judges, tribunals, Catholic church, living beyond your means and a sneery grin. Please let us move past this Ireland of old.
Haughey did an enormous amount of good from provding adequate pensions, free bus travel, succession rights for spouses, the IFSC, averting bankruptcy for the state after Fitzgerald/Spring, attempting protecting citizens in the north from loyalist mobs. And yes there was corruption but that appears to always be with us. I’m sure it will be the usual lefty RTE hatchet job.
What strange analysis.
So it’s lefty to be anti corruption and abusing power?
Are right wing people for these things then?
What a horrible little fool you are Donal.
Well said Donal they much bigger clowns out there now then poor old Charlie R.I. P.
He was a great politician he only took from the rich like Ben dunne that gave him the money ,
Haughey got tips from De Valera!!
good old mara..collecting the old age pension and child allowance at the same time!!
I don’t see how that is Angela, can you elaborate? In my opinion the fascination is there still because of the far reaching corruption coupled with the fact that Charlie was such a successful and good politician
Can’t wait for the show btw
I don’t see how that is Angela, can you elaborate? In my opinion the fascination is there still because of the far reaching corruption coupled with the fact that Charlie was such a successful and good politician
This is the only clip featuring Haughey I want to watch!
THE GENERAL made that human sewage martin cahill look like a lovable chancer. I hope RTE do better with that piece of garbage haughey
have your say