Taiwan Donates $50,000 for Merapi Victims

Jakarta, Taiwan has donated US$50,000 in fund to the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) to rehabilitate areas affected by the Mount Merapi eruptions.

Andrew Hsia of the Taipei Economic and Trade Office (Teto) in Jakarta handed the aid to PMI chairman Yusuf Kalla recently, Teto said in a press statement on Tuesday.

Hsia expressed hope the aid would be helpful for the PMI to continue rehabilitating disaster-hit areas to allow the affected people to resume a normal life.Kalla said he was thankful for the aid and pledged to use it properly.

"We all know Java is the most populous island. Whenever a disaster occurs it claims many lives. The reconstruction of the affected areas will need a long time and cost a sizable amount of funds," he said.

Mt Merapi, the world`s most active volcano, had erupted repeatedly in the past two or three weeks but its most fatal eruptions occurred on Oct 26 and Nov 5.

At least 259 people had perished and many others sustained burns and became displaced in the eruptions.

The total number of refugees being sheltered in 639 refugee centers in Yogyakarta and Central Java reportedly reached 367,548.

The volcano`s eruptions spewed hot clouds of ash and lava into the air and sent lava down its many slopes.