PROGRAMS KEY TO RESTORING DISASTER VICTIMS' NORMAL LIFE

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Nov 6 (Antara) - Recovery programs should cover the three critical areas of shelter, food, and sources of income, as thousands of quake victims, who lost their homes and livelihoods in Central Sulawesi, are in dire need of them.          Hence, the central and regional governments are immediately preparing locations to relocate communities that have lost their homes. The area needed for relocation is one thousand to 1,500 hectares (ha), with the calculation made for constructing 16 thousand permanent residential houses.          During a limited meeting at the Vice Presidential Office, Vice President Jusuf Kalla held a discussion with Central Sulawesi Governor Longki Djanggola on accelerated recovery efforts to handle the impacts of earthquake, tsunami, and liquefaction in Palu, Sigi, and Donggala.          The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has also launched a recovery program to help more than 70 thousand Indonesian farmers and fishermen following the quake and tsunami natural disasters in Central Sulawesi.          The FAO program is aimed at providing assistance to the victims, who have lost their sources of income and livelihoods.

PEOPLE WARNED OF DISASTERS DURING WET DRY SEASON

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, June 19 (Antara) - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has warned the people of possible natural disasters such as floods, landslides and whirlwinds during the wet dry season.          High intensity of rainfall is expected to take place in Indonesia in the coming several months as a result of the La Nina weather phenomenon.          According to Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the head of the Data and Information Center of the BNPB, most parts of Indonesia should have entered the dry season period. Drought should have taken place since mid June this month.          However, rain with high intensity still often falls. The La Nina weather phenomenon will be detected clearly in July, August and September this year. It will have impact on the increase in rainfall during the dry season.          Thus, this year's dry season is a wet dry season given the fact that during the dry season the intensity of rainfall is still high.

BMKG WARNS PUBLIC OF POSSIBLE NATURAL DISASTERS DURING RAINY SEASON

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 28 (Antara) - The current rainy season will peak between the first and second weeks of February, with heavy rain and strong winds expected to trigger floods, landslides and sea accidents.          Based on information from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), almost 90 percent of Indonesia will be hit by heavy rain and strong winds that could continue till the second week of February.          Therefore, the Ministry of Transportation has warned the public about the possibility of natural disasters that might cause mishaps, both on land and at sea.          After all, the height of sea waves can range between two and six meters and are considered dangerous for shipping activities.          Moreover, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), some 63.7 million people in Indonesia are now living in flood prone areas.          The BNPB has called on people to increase alertness in the face of the current rainy season.

INDONESIA BRACES FOR NATURAL DISASTERS

By Andi Abdussalam
Jakarta, Nov 15 (Antara) - Indonesia, a country prone to natural disasters such as landslides and floods during the rainy season, is now bracing itself to face potential disasters.          A number of disaster mitigation agencies, including the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), as well as other societal organizations and volunteers, are all prepared to face the rainy season that has begun to arrive.          The BNPB has instructed its fast-reaction task forces to be on high alert and get ready to handle disasters.          "The BNPB head, Syamsul Maarif, has issued the instruction to put its fast-reaction task forces on high alert. We have deployed them in several regions and in the capital city of Jakarta," BNPB's Head of Public Relations, Information and Data Center, Sutopo Purwo Nogroho, said here on Saturday.          He added that besides preparing the fast-reaction task forces, the agency also prepared logistics and airplanes. It is collecting data on development of disasters taking place across Indonesia, as well.          "We are always on the alert and continue to monitor mishaps and disasters. We will certainly report every single disaster that occurs," Nogroho said.

RI PREPARING STEPS TO LESSEN IMPACT OF NATURAL DISASTERS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Oct 29 (ANTARA) - Although the meteorology and geophysics agency has predicted that rainfall in the current October-November and December rainy season will be normal, the government must continue to prepare contingency plans to deal with potential natural disasters.  Due to its geographical location and climate, Indonesia hosts different areas which are prone to natural disasters, such as floods and landslides during the rainy season, apart from other disasters which continue to pose threats, such as volcano eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis and landslides.          Indeed, the Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare said that geographically, Indonesia was a meeting place for tectonic plates from the Asian and Australian continents, as well as those plates from the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The Australian plate long ago moved northward and under the Eurasian plate. The zone can be traced from the northern tip of Sumatra until the Nusa Tenggara Islands, creating deep submarine trenches. Most earthquakes concentrate in this zone where plates lay atop each other.