U.N. relief officials in Indonesia have started mobilizing staff and emergency medical supplies in eastern Java, where the eruption of Mount Kelud volcano is believed to be imminent. U.N. spokeswoman Michele Montas said Thursday that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is closely monitoring the situation after the Indonesian government recommended Tuesday that locals evacuate the area immediately. The World Health Organization (WHO) has mobilized 100 medical professionals, placed 200 health facilities on alert, and established 41 outreach health posts in anticipation of the eruption. Emergency health kits, masks, and other essential equipment are in place, the agency said. U.N. humanitarian agencies also are taking part in assessment missions, Montas told reporters. WHO reported that 116,000 people who had been living within 10 kilometers of Mount Kelud in either Kidiri or Biltar districts already have been evacuated, though some people in relatively low-risk areas have since been allowed to return to their homes.
