Prevention is better than construction<\/p>\n
Following the devastating earthquake-triggered tsunamis that
\noccurred on Dec. 26 and claimed well over 100,000 lives and
\nunaccounted for material losses in Aceh and part of north Sumatra
\nprovince, people will probably ask what the government can do in
\nthe future to minimize the destruction of similar disasters.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, home to more than 90 active volcanoes throughout
\nthe archipelago, according to the United States' National
\nAeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), is almost 80 percent
\ncovered by epicenters and is surrounded by many tectonic cracks
\nand sits on an area where three volcanic strains meet (Jaha
\nNababan says from Boston in his Letter to The Jakarta Post, Jan.
\n10).<\/p>\n
In view of the country's condition and the many earthquake and
\ntsunami disasters that have jolted the nation over the last
\ncouple of decades -- including the famous Krakatoa volcanic-
\ntriggered tsunami that claimed over 35.000 lives in 1883 -- the
\nMinistry of Public Works and the Indonesian Cabinet Secretariat
\nhave actually done something by setting up cooperation with the
\nJapanese government under the Developing Nations Technical
\nCooperation Program.<\/p>\n
Every year, the aforementioned government agencies, together
\nwith the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), hold an
\nInternational Advanced Course on Seismology and Earthquake
\nEngineering in the ministry's Center for Human Settlement in
\nBandung, by inviting participants from developing countries in
\nAsia and Africa. No doubt a lot of technologies have since been
\nacquired by Indonesian experts transferred by Japanese geologists
\nand earthquake and probably tsunami mitigation experts.<\/p>\n
Indonesian people seem to be more familiar with fire brigades
\nwho sometimes hold fire prevention exercises in high rise
\nbuildings, and the show-case volcanic eruption early warning
\nsystem, but none of the geologists or earthquake experts have
\nconducted similar exercises for earthquake or tsunami prevention.
\nThis is something that the government should pay attention to.<\/p>\n
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
\nOrganization (UNESCO)'s readiness to lead efforts to set up a
\nglobal early warning system needs to be responded to by the
\ngovernment. Thailand, on the other hand, was quick to respond by
\nvowing to set up their own if other neighboring countries were
\nunwilling to do so.<\/p>\n
Setting up an early warning system would mean the prevention
\nof greater losses. Surely prevention is better than construction
\nbecause it is cheaper to strengthen a house than to construct one
\nafter devastation.<\/p>\n
M. RUSDI<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/prevention-is-better-than-construction-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }