analysis Asia<\/p>\n
Indonesia\u2019s disaster mitigation masterplan hinges on enforcement,\ncommunity preparedness<\/p>\n
A string of disasters has prompted Indonesia to draw up a mitigation\nmasterplan. Experts tell CNA that one of the challenges is ensuring the\ncapabilities are consistently connected and maintained across a country\nof more than 17,000 islands.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: Last month, an earthquake in Indonesia\u2019s East Nusa Tenggara\nprovince killed at least 135 people, while Mount Anak Krakatau\u2019s\neruption earlier this month shut several airports for two days and\ndisrupted flights. The country has also been battling forest and land\nfires in parts of Kalimantan and Sumatra.<\/p>\n
These natural and manmade environmental disasters across Indonesia\nhave underscored gaps in enforcement, early-warning systems and\ncoordination between central and local governments, say experts speaking\nto CNA. They are not the only ones with this view.<\/p>\n
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto seemed to acknowledge as much\nwhen he ordered his government earlier this month to draw up a\ncomprehensive disaster mitigation masterplan.<\/p>\n
Indonesia\u2019s location on the Pacific Ring of Fire leaves it vulnerable\nto earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions, while climate change is\nintensifying risks from floods, landslides, droughts and forest\nfires.<\/p>\n
Yet experts said geography should not become an excuse for disaster\nlosses.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis geographical factor represents a predictable natural\ncondition,\u201d said Daryono, who goes by one name and is the former\ndirector of earthquakes and tsunamis at Indonesia\u2019s Meteorology,\nClimatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).<\/p>\n
\u201cThe greatest obstacles to mitigation\u201d include \u201cunequal budget\nallocation\u201d, weak enforcement of development rules in disaster-prone\nareas, and gaps in early-warning technology and community preparedness,\nparticularly in remote regions, he added.<\/p>\n
Details of the disaster mitigation masterplan have yet to be\nannounced, and Prabowo did not say when it would be implemented.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should not wait for a disaster to occur,\u201d Prabowo said on Sep 7.\n\u201cIt is crucial that we take preparatory steps well in advance.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said Indonesia should deploy more firefighting resources,\nincluding helicopters and water pumps, position small excavators in\nfire-prone villages and explore the use of heavy-lift drones.<\/p>\n
On Sep 16, Prabowo said that the government had ordered large\naircraft for water-bombing operations and reiterated his intention to\nstrengthen agencies responsible for dealing with disasters.<\/p>\n
PREPARING BEFORE DISASTER STRIKES<\/p>\n
For disaster mitigation plans to work, experts said Indonesia must\nshift from reacting to such events to preparing for them, using\nscientific data and involving local communities.<\/p>\n
Daryono said this means integrating a multi-hazard early-warning\nsystem with real-time sensors, updated seismic networks, tsunami\ndetection and volcanic hazard mapping. Crucially, warnings must\ntranslate into swift action on the ground without bureaucratic delays,\nhe added.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is not starting from scratch. It already has a tsunami\nearly-warning system, round-the-clock seismic and volcanic monitoring,\ndisaster-resilient village programmes and a strong tradition of mutual\nassistance that helps communities mobilise quickly during emergencies,\nDaryono said.<\/p>\n
The challenge is ensuring these capabilities are consistently\nconnected and maintained across a country of more than 17,000\nislands.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndonesia\u2019s sluggish disaster response is a structural vicious cycle\nas it treats preparedness as a mere administrative formality rather than\na national development priority,\u201d Daryono said.<\/p>\n
He cited the 2018 Palu earthquake and tsunami, when widespread\ndestruction overwhelmed local authorities.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, during Cyclone Seroja in East Nusa Tenggara in 2021, the\narchipelagic geography made it difficult to reach affected communities\nand deliver aid. Agencies had to work together, with Indonesian navy\nvessels deployed to reach some areas.<\/p>\n
Daryono said this highlighted the need for better coordination\nbetween central and regional governments, backed by a unified command\nstructure and clear systems for budgeting and logistics.<\/p>\n
INVESTING IN PREVENTION<\/p>\n
Natural disaster funding has historically tilted towards emergency\nspending after an event, rather than sustained investment in maintaining\nmitigation infrastructure and early-warning technology, said\nDaryono.<\/p>\n
Indonesia\u2019s disaster mitigation agency (BNPB) received 491 billion\nrupiah (US$27.5 million) this year, which is down sharply from last\nyear\u2019s 2 trillion rupiah budget.<\/p>\n
The government agency is now asking for an extra 564 billion rupiah\nbudget for this year.<\/p>\n
Iqbal Damanik, climate and energy manager at Greenpeace Indonesia,\nsaid the country has a gap between the government\u2019s planning and\nbudgeting.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy was the budget allocated to BNPB so low? Because, in the\nplanning stage, it simply wasn\u2019t considered important,\u201d he told CNA.<\/p>\n
Daryono also called for dedicated disaster-prevention funding, wider\npreparedness education in schools and regular community drills to make\nevacuation an ingrained response during emergencies.<\/p>\n
Equipment also needs maintenance, not just procurement, he noted.<\/p>\n
Indonesia\u2019s disaster technology, including buoys and seismic sensors,\nhas at times suffered from inadequate maintenance funding and vandalism,\nsaid Daryono.<\/p>\n
He proposed having local communities carry out regular maintenance to\nhelp safeguard equipment.<\/p>\n
For example, community leaders can act as official guardians of\ncertain equipment, or trained locals can perform regular checks.<\/p>\n
ADDRESSING THE UNDERLYING RISKS<\/p>\n
Southeast Asia\u2019s biggest economy faces not only geological hazards\nbut also increasingly intense weather-related events - such as floods,\ndroughts and storms - linked to the climate crisis, said Iqbal of\nGreenpeace.<\/p>\n
For weather-related disasters, the masterplan should include measures\nthat reduce the underlying environmental risks, he said.<\/p>\n
These could include protecting and restoring peatlands and mangroves,\nre<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesias-disaster-mitigation-masterplan-hinges-on-enforcement-community-preparedness-1790549417", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }