COVID pursues Indonesian residents fleeing Semeru's raging ash

[ASEAN NOW Content Team]

 

Doctors are concerned that refugees' health will be harmed if they inhale volcanic ash while staying in crowded shelters.

Dugijan, a farmer from Curuk Kobokan village near the base of Indonesia's Mount Semeru volcano, was sleeping in his hut when a tremendous explosion woke him up.

As he stumbled out the front door, he witnessed his friends and neighbours fleeing for their lives as the mountain erupted, sending ash and volcanic debris 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) into the gloomy sky.

 

"The road was dimly lit and strewn with dirt and smoke.
People were screamed and ran.
It was raining and the mountain was ringed with lightning.
The 60-year-old told Al Jazeera that it appeared to be the Day of Judgement.

"I didn't think I'd make it."
It was pouring rocks, and I wasn't in any shape to run.
So I just started walking gently and entrusted everything to God."

 

Dugijan noticed that some of the people fleeing alongside him were covered in burns and blisters from the heat of the heavy ash cloud that was pressing down on the villagers as he carefully made his way to a neighbouring mosque, where he stayed for three hours before relief arrived.

"I'm still reeling from what happened.
I'm afraid I won't be able to return.
He said, "I'm old and I'm waiting for my time, but not because of a calamity like this."

 

At least 34 people were killed in the eruption, which occurred on Saturday afternoon, with scores more still missing.

More than 3,000 people have been displaced in Indonesia, according to officials, as ash and mud continue to blanket towns, making rescue harder and increasing concerns among specialists about the impact on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Doctors are still debating whether the eruptions will cause an increase in COVID-19 cases or exacerbate COVID-19 symptoms in patients, according to Dr Irandi Putra Pratomo, the chief medical officer of the COVID-19 Task Force and the Pulmonology Medical Unit at Universitas Indonesia Hospital in Depok, near Jakarta.

 

He told Al Jazeera, "We don't know yet whether the COVID-19 virus and volcanic ash will interact."

"However, we already know that volcanic eruptions can induce pulmonary inhalation damage."

 

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