Four Disaster Clusters in Indonesia, from Natural Causes to Human Actions

Jakarta — Indonesia is known as a country located on the “Ring of Fire” or Pacific Rim of Fire, a designation that sounds impressive but also poses enormous dangers. Shifting tectonic plates, active volcanoes, and constant earthquakes characterise this region. The Ring of Fire makes Indonesia a recurring victim of natural disasters, compounded by its equatorial location in the heart of the earth, which will always receive heavy rainfall for half the year.

The first disaster cluster is geological disasters, which are directly related to the Pacific Ring of Fire. These include earthquakes from tectonic plate activity and volcanic eruptions from active volcanoes. Secondary effects such as tsunamis, liquefaction, and cold lava floods form part of this category.

The second is the wet hydrometeorological disaster cluster. This is linked to Indonesia’s location on the equator, which has a tropical climate. High-intensity rainfall and frequent precipitation are part of this, causing many secondary effects such as floods, flash floods, and landslides. Within this cluster, coastal erosion caused by rising sea levels is also included.

The third is dry season hydrometeorological disasters. As a tropical country, Indonesia experiences regular long summers lasting at least six months each year.

Finally, the fourth is the technology failure cluster, or disasters arising directly from human action. These disasters stem from human activities, such as the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and industrial chemical leaks, as well as various other human errors.