REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has ordered immediate distribution of his aid package to victims of the ongoing Mount Sinabung eruptions in North Sumatra.

The aid package which arrived at evacuee camps on Sunday (Jan 19) should be distributed among the evacuees soon, the President tweeted on his twitter@SBYudhoyono on Monday.

The President also expressed gratitude to the National Disaster Mitigation Board (BNPB), the National Defense Forces (TNI), the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) and all components of the community that had worked hand in hand to assist the disaster response process.

The President has sent 8,000 aid packages consisting of drinks and medicines for victims of the Mount Sinabung eruptions who are now being sheltered in 89 locations.

He also ordered the BNPB to continue to assist the local government in handling residents who had fled their homes during the Mount Sinabung eruptions.

The Karo district government in North Sumatra reported late last year that 11 evacuees had died and hundreds of others had fallen ill two months after the volcano erupted.

Most of them died due to various complications such as breathing difficulties, depression, asthma and hypertension. The first death was recorded on November 23 last year.

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