What is most important though is that what was broken is well underway to being completely restored for those who survived. When I blogged the news about it last year, I was skeptical as to whether the wounds of those left behind will begin to heal, and whether state aid would work. According to the Sunday Herald Sun the government has taken the necessary steps to aid and relief the survivors.

I can only hope humanity has witnessed the last natural disaster of such massive scale and high death toll. Meanwhile, I’ve tracked a beautiful video on YouTube about Jogjakarta you can watch below.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Everyone reporting on the incident has conveyed the Indonesian government and scientist concerns on a possible eruption of the near-by Mount Merapi volcano on the island of Java. Now, it seems almost certain another disaster in underway. The Yogyakarta earthquake which ultimately claimed the lives of an estimated 6,200 people, aggravated Merapi, speeding it up.

The increased volcanic activity which includes violent bursts of lava and toxic gas to an expanding perimeter, indicates more people need to be evacuated. Something which may not be as easy. On this BBC article, you read:

“But some people refused orders to leave, while others have chosen to return during daylight hours, citing the need to tend their crops and livestock.”

It may sound odd to a “westerner” that people would risk their lives in such a manner. However, I can cite more than one case of people returning to their homes in the west after they have been evacuated at risk of a natural disaster. More recent is the example of a friend who moved back to her home after calls for evacuation due to an imminent flood risk.

Leaving one’s home in the face of peril strikes as an oxymoron all together. “Home” is supposed to be the one safe place to be at. Especially for people whose entire livelihood revolves around their homes, such in the case of Java island farmers, abandoning everything might take more than a government order. Perhaps providing some reassurance such as government aid and compensation for damages in case of a disaster would ease the evacuation and save more lives.

In the meantime, I’ll keep a close watch on Mount Merapi hoping for the best possible outcome to a seemingly hopeless situation.

The 6.2 earthquake near the southern city of the island of Java, Jogjakarta (Yogyakarta) has created chaos and panic. Phones and electricity are out of operation, while the airport in Jogjakarta has suffered damages rendering it inoperative. Making rescue efforts and foreign aid operations even more difficult. Injured people have at times to walk to the nearest hospital to seek treatment, while the search for those trapped under collapsed debris is continuing with the most basic means available.

On top of everything else, the nearby active volcano of Mount Merapi is reportedly in heightened activity since the earthquake, although scientists agree the quake was tectonic and not caused by the volcano itself. However, the earthquake may have triggered a chain of events that could lead to the volcano erupting, as magma flow has already been reported to elevate.

The continuing aftershocks, and general chaos keeps people out of their homes, as most are afraid to enter buildings which might collapse in a next earthquake. I will be monitoring the situation and keeping you up to date with any developments. I’m also looking into which recognized aid and relief organizations may be moving into the area, as to list them for anyone interested in making a donation.