Pitiful Disaster Mitigation Measures

Perhaps the Central Java provincial government needs to reflect on the old saying: 'Take an umbrella before it rains'. Last week's floods and landslides that swept through 16 provinces-arguably the worst ever for the region-left 47 dead, 15 injured and dozens missing. The total material loss is estimated to reach hundreds of millions of rupiah.

The 'umbrella' most needed in Central Java, or any other region in the country for that matter, is a comprehensive disaster mitigation plan. As a first step, the regional governments should be alert and responsive towards disaster potentials in their regions. Two days before the disaster, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) and the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) had issued warnings for torrential rain until June 20 for Central Java.

June 28, 2016