On Feb 13th 2014 at 10.50PM mount Kelud erupted, it's about 40 KM from my father's house in Kediri city (my homeland). And the news was spread all over the world. Not just the news about the eruption of Mount Kelud, but her ashes scattered too far as 900 kilometers from the source of the eruption. And yesterday, I visited the mountain after her eruption, to see myself the damage resulting from the eruption.
Here the looks of Mount Kelud before eruption. Become a major tourist destination in the district of Kediri.
Here when the mountain erupted on last thursday night.
So let start our journey far enough from Kelud, it's about 40 KM and take 60 minutes by motorcycle to get there. When the explosion occurred, my father said, rain of sand is so heavy, just like rain of water pouring from the night sky. Roar and lightning accompanied the eruption of Kelud. At 11:00 PM, a roar that shook the glass window of my house started to happen. A few minutes later, followed by lightning flashes. And at 11:30 PM, it was raining of sand pouring from the night sky. At 03.00 AM the rain of sand and rumble has begun to subside. At 06.00 AM on Friday the 14th of February 2014, there are 7 cm thick of sand covered the asphalt road in a housing complex where my father lived. And all roof became gray. And many people said 'Kediri into a sea of sand'. And yesterday I paid a visit, to see how is he doing. Thanks that my Father still cheers-up when he repeat the story on the night when the eruption happen.
40 KM From Mount Kelud - City of Kediri
Plants in the front yard of my house, mostly is still covered with sand.
Spotting patches of water droplets left on the leaves.
On Saturday it rained, the rain cleanse the foliage at alongside of road.
At the front gate, the sand is still mounting.
Housing residents devotedly cleaning the sand that covered the road.
Pile of sand in front of the houses.
The road is still not cleaned from the sand.
Busy cleaning the house roof.
Cleaning the roof of the house from sand, so that when the rain comes, the roof does not collapse.
But the garage roof of my house already collapse cause cannot hold the rain of sand.
30 KM From Kelud - Government Center of Kediri District
We call this gate as Proliman Gumul.
Soldiers help to clean roads from sand.
Landscaping Office sends water tankers to wet the sandy roads. So when cleaned, the dust from the sand not flying.
They're busy watering the sandy road.
Cleaning troops are also busy.
Sand that has been collected, transported into the truck.
The journey to the village of Plosoklaten. Rural roads that have been paved still covered with sand.
20 KM From Kelud - Plosoklaten Village
Village boundary monument.
Here, most of paddy fields covered with sand.
Roof tiles covered with pretty thick by sand .
Take short breaks to unwind.
This dam is made for cold lava flow.
Journey continues to the village of Tawang. Many trees were cloaked in sand during the trip.
15 KM From Kelud - Tawang Village
Here the evacuation place for Sugihwaras village residents.
Tawang Headquarters office to be a place of refuge.
Transporting groceries donation.
Donation of instant noodles, biscuits and drinking water.
At this distance, the sand mixed with ashes.
Plants on the roadside covered in dust.
So thick, the sand mixed with theash, hard to be cleaned.
At a distance of 15 KM, many patio roof collapsed due to not hold the sand mixed with ashes.
Almost all roofs covered thick ash mixed with sand.
Every 1 KM from Kelud, always mounted directional evacuation for refugees. This makes the evacuation fast. In just 1 hour 40 minutes, the refugees already in evacuation place.
Sand and dust so thick on the road. Every time a motorcycle or a car passing by, always make the ashes flying everywhere.
More closer with Kelud, air quality is very bad because ashy.
3 KM From Kelud - Sugihwaras Village
3 KM signpost towards Kelud.
The right and left side of the road many artificial forest.
Sengon (name of wood) forest.
Durian (name of fruit) forest.
Pineapple plantations affected by sand mixed with ash near sengon forest.
Pineapple leaves turned brown after being exposed to the hot ashes mixed sand.
Approaching the villagers houses, not the sand that I have seen. But pumice mixed with ash.
As big as this but light.
Many tiles are broken because of the throw of materials when Kelud erupted .
Local residents asking for donations from passing vehicles.
Crushed tomato garden. The leaves are burned.
2 KM From Kelud
The closest post disaster mitigation to Kelud.
I could not continue my journey. Because entering the dangerous zone.
A lot of gravel in here.
Mount Kelud from 2 KM
Materials volcanic sand, collected in the eruption of lava flows would endanger people living in the lava flow area due to the rain that continued to fall in the region Kelud. Here some new photos, showing cold lava at lava flow path. Photo by Rudi Mulya -
Antara.
The Geological Disaster Mitigation and Volcanology Center (PVMBG) recorded a belch of white grey clouds up to 3,000 meters from the Kalud top at 6 am on Saturday.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said the erupting Mount Kelud in Kediri District, East Java, continues to be on high alert status although the volcanic activity is declining. My heart and pray is for the refugees. May they be given extra powers to deal with this all.
