Saturday, January 14, 2012

Health fears for volcano refugees

From CathNews India: Health fears for volcano refugees

The health of hundreds of people who fled the slopes of Mount Lewotolok in East Nusa Tenggara province in Indonesia last week as a result of increased volcanic activity is becoming a major cause of concern, a Church official has warned.

Over 500 people in Lembata district left their homes in 10 villages after the Vulcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center raised Mount Lewotolok’s alert status on January 2.

“We are doing all we can to provide aid but there are many refugees who have started suffering from acute respiratory infections,” Father Philipus da Gomez has said.

Many refugees are staying with relatives while the rest are staying at Our Lady of Banneux Church, the St. Damien Leper Hospital and the Ankara Loan Cooperative, in the town of Lewoleba.

The episcopal-vicar of Lembata says Bishop Fransiskus Kopong Kung of Larantuka has appealed to all Catholics in the town to help local government in taking care of the refugees.

Source: ucanews.com

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