President calls for distribution of masks to residents around Mt Kelud

"I want the masks made available in large numbers and distributed among residents living around the volcano," the head of state said in a dialog with provincial police chiefs at the Indonesian Police Headquarters here Wednesday.

The president asked the local authorities to be firm in rescuing affected residents particularly when the volcano reached the serious level of danger.

If the local authorities felt it necessary to evacuate the affected residents, they must do so like when Mt Merapi in Central Java belched out hot clouds, he said.