Dangers to Children Increase as Indonesia?s Mt. Merapi Continues Deadly Eruptions, Says Save the Children

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JAKARTA, Indonesia (November 9, 2010) — Save the Children, which is providing relief supplies to families who have sought refuge from the ongoing eruptions of Mt. Merapi, is increasing efforts to protect children still in harm's way of Indonesia's deadly volcano. Mt. Merapi has incinerated nearby villages and has been blanketing the area surrounding it with hot ash and lava for nearly two weeks, with little sign of ceasing. Officials warn that rivers, clogged with lava and debris, may provoke flash flooding, adding a new deadly threat. While authorities have ordered evacuations and more than 200,000 people have fled the immediate area, many people have stayed behind or return when the mountain quiets. "Save the Children has learned that a number of families have remained with their children, in the evacuation zone, to watch over their homes and assets. This puts children at high  risk — not just from the eruptions but also from the choking ash in the air and the chaos that could arise if those families are forced to run," said Lala Borja, Save the Children's country director in Indonesia. "Our staff are coordinating with local authorities in reaching out to families to discuss how best to protect their children, in particularly about ensuring their children are in  a safe area." Mt. Merapi has produced some of the biggest eruptions the country has seen in more than a century. This has forced families to move and then relocate frequently, increasing the chances that children could be separated from their families. "We know from experience that the rapid movement of people produces chaos. Children may wander off at a critical moment or parents may assume a child is with the other spouse, and they may be left without their families," said Borja. Save the Children is distributing more than 7,100 hygiene kits to families who have sought refuge in temporary shelters. It has provided 12,000 face masks to children in schools in Boyolali District and another 6,000 face masks to evacuees in camps. The agency also is pulling additional supplies, including school tents and school kits, from its warehouse in Jakarta and shipping them to Yogyakarta. Save the Children has worked in Indonesia for more than threes decades. In recent years, it has responded to nearly all minor, medium-sized and major natural disasters in the country. In addition to providing immediate relief to children and families after a disaster, the agency helps communities prepare for emergencies and develop the capacity to reduce risks posed by and mitigate the effects of disasters in the future.Save the Children is the leading, independent organization that creates lasting change for children in need in the United States and around the world. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.