NORTH SULAWESI — “I finally decided to evacuate,” explained a grandmother named Intan (68).
Oma Intan, her nickname, has been living in BLK Bitung Dormitory Office, Kadoodan Village, Madidir Subdistrict, Bitung City for several days. She is a survivor of the eruption of Mount Ruang from Tagulandang Island, which is close to Mount Ruang. The dormitory was converted by the government into an evacuation post for people affected by the eruption of Mount Ruang.
Now, Oma Intan and her sister live in Bitung Evacuation Post. According to her, this evacuation post feels comfortable, because consumption and entertainment assistance are sufficient here. In addition, she also claimed to be comfortable with the presence of the Dompet Dhuafa Warm Post.
Oma Intan is one of the beneficiaries of the Public Kitchen and Warm Post established by Dompet Dhuafa’s Disaster Management Center (DMC) and Dompet Dhuafa North Sulawesi Branch. Before this eruption disaster, Oma Intan farmed and traded daily. The things that Oma Intan sells are langsat fruit and various vegetables from her own cultivation.
“Here (post) is complete, so it’s safe here,” he explained in response to the presence of the Dompet Dhuafa Warm Post.
In addition, Dompet Dhuafa also provides a snakes and ladders playground with the concept of disaster mitigation. Oma Intan and her friends really enjoyed this game. Smiles and laughter shine on her elderly face.
Initially, Oma Intan was not interested in evacuating. Tagulandang Island was her only comfortable home. But when everyone started evacuating to Manado and Bitung, Oma Intan finally decided to evacuate too. She saw that she was already old, so rather than inconvenience herself or others, she and her sister had to give up their home for a while and move to the evacuation post.
“I realized that if I decided to stay there, there would be no one there,” she said.
Oma Intan enjoying lunch Oma Intan also admitted that confusing news or hoaxes related to the eruption of Mount Ruang have also emerged. Starting from the mountain splitting, to the tsunami. However, she does not worry about it, because it is difficult to prove.
Currently, Oma Intan still hopes to return to Tagulandang Island. But if she does return, she worries that she will be able to live safely, as the roof of her house has holes in it from the rock and ash rains from Mount Ruang.
“When everything is over, maybe I will go to my brother’s house in Manado,” Oma Intan concluded.
Text: Arifian Fajar Putera, Riza Muthohar
Photo: Arifian Fajar Putera
Editors: Dhika Prabowo, Ronnah The cooking results of Dompet Dhuafa’s DMC Public Kitchen.