To Flee or Not to Flee
Today's headline at Yahoo! reads the following:
Thousands Flee Dangerous Indonesia VolcanoNote the voice used to sensationalize the news here: "people fled" and "most dangerous volcano". This, of course, occurs all the time to gain readers, as news is big business. But, this particular story is of personal interest due to our proximity to the "rock spewing mountaintop".
By CHRIS BRUMMITT, Associated Press Writer
40 minutes ago
MOUNT MERAPI, Indonesia - Thousands of people fled the fertile slopes of Indonesia's most dangerous volcano Saturday as glowing lava oozed down the side and ash and rock spewed from the mountaintop, leading authorities to warn that an eruption could come soon.
Sid, our assistant superintendent, went to Ketep Pass between Mount Merbabu and Mount Merapi to take photos last night. The crowds of spectators were so thick that he continued another twenty kilometers to Selo, slightly closer to the "dangerous" crater. Sid did see some lava. But, as he was showing me the photos, I could make out no more than a spec of red on the screen of his professional grade digital camera. Surprised, I asked why he didn't get any better shots. "What you see here is all there was," he laughingly replied.The smoke you can see at Yahoo! is more than usual, but Merapi constantly bellows fumes. Google Earth, another modern technological marvel, always shows Merapi smoking. In other words, yes, it's errupting; but, no, it's not that sensational.
To regress to the title, the Indonesian version of fleeing is like golfers leaving the eighteenth hole, headed for a drink at the club house. It's more of a saunter or a meandering. To say that they "fled there homes" is about as accurate as saying that the Triumphant Entry centered around Jesus racing into Jerusalam on a steed to get good seats at the synagogue. No one flees here. Many locals think that they, or their elders, will know when the volcano is ready to release its digested rock, and that all this hype is only keeping them from tending their flocks and farms. Of course, most of them have no access to Internet, nor can they read English. Although, I bet that if they could, they'd wonder which village had inspired this article. Then they'd all sit under Merapi for morning jamu (health drinks) and gossip about their neighbor's folly before cutting more grass for their livestock.
posted by James and Mona @ 1:09 PM
2 Comments
2 Comments:
James,
I do think it's fair to say that thousands are evacuating. "Fleeing"--what does that mean anyway? I picture people running down the mountainside, arms flailing. I doubt this is the case right now. Unfortunately, when the mountain does erupt in a week or two, those still there will have to deal with the toxic ash. The government has given ample warning time, but as with other disasters, people are afraid to leave behind their homes and livlihood.
Mo,
I concur. People are evacuating, as evidenced in the referenced article at Yahoo! News. But, for certain, fleeing does carry an "end of all times" movie trailer connotation - "damsel-in-distress" women panicking and "lone-wolf" men rescuing them and their stubborn prized bull.
I find it fascinating that international media have focused on this one oozing spring. It is likely that some will perish in the next several weeks: a tragic event considering the options available to them. Yet, having observed and interacted with this culture for 2 years now, it's not near so horrific as it would be in "civilized" countries, where people think that death is the worst thing that could happen to a person...that is, next to having to give a public speech.
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