BNPB Builds Logistics Warehouses in Earthquake and Tsunami-Prone Areas
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) is accelerating the construction of logistics warehouses at strategic points close to areas at high risk of earthquakes and tsunamis. This step is being taken to overcome aid distribution bottlenecks that are often hampered by infrastructure damage following geological disasters.
BNPB Expert Analyst for Disaster, Maryanto, explained that this strategy is being implemented through the development of two types of facilities, namely regional warehouses (central hubs) and tactical warehouses. Placing logistics closer to vulnerable areas is expected to significantly reduce the lead time or waiting period for distribution during the emergency response phase.
“We are trying to bring logistics closer to disaster risk areas. There will be regional warehouses serving surrounding areas so that we can cut the logistics distribution lead time during disaster response operations,” Maryanto said during the Denpasar 12 Forum Discussion on Wednesday (15/7/2026).
Indonesia’s archipelagic geography poses a major challenge. Many remote areas become immediately isolated when a disaster strikes, making it difficult for aid to enter if it relies solely on central warehouses. As a pilot project, the BNPB has built a tactical warehouse in Agandugume, Central Papua.
The facility in Papua was initially used to handle a food crisis caused by drought, but it is now projected to become a model for storing logistics for various disaster threats in hard-to-reach areas.
Beyond physical reinforcement through warehouses, the BNPB is also developing a digital logistics system. This system maps the resource capacity of each region in real-time, covering the availability of equipment, modes of transportation, and the capacity of vital infrastructure such as airports, ports, roads, and bridges.
Maryanto stressed that logistics should no longer be viewed merely as a downstream instrument during emergency response, but as an integral part of pre-disaster preparedness. This is crucial because geological disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis have far more massive socio-economic impacts than other types of disasters.
This strengthening is carried out through cross-sector collaboration within the disaster management logistics cluster, involving the government, businesses, academics, the community, and the media. “Logistical readiness built from the pre-disaster phase will determine the speed and effectiveness of handling when an earthquake or tsunami actually occurs,” he concluded.