Indonesian President Prabowo orders development of disaster response plan
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has ordered the development of a comprehensive plan to prevent natural disasters and minimize their consequences. He issued the instruction on September 7 during a virtual government meeting devoted to emergency response.
As Channel NewsAsia reports, the country is simultaneously recovering from a devastating earthquake on Flores Island, responding to increased activity of the Anak Krakatau volcano, and fighting forest and land fires. Prabowo said that Indonesia’s location in the Pacific Ring of Fire makes it particularly vulnerable to natural hazards.
Resources and funding
The president instructed the government and relevant officials to pre-position resources and equipment for disaster response. According to him, preparations must be made before an emergency occurs, rather than afterward.
The Prabowo administration also plans to increase budget spending on disaster management. Planned measures include more active use of aircraft for weather modification operations and studying the possibility of using heavy cargo drones to extinguish fires from the air.
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In addition, the president ordered the purchase of additional helicopters, water pumps, fire engines, and compact excavators for rural areas where there is a risk of forest fires. During the meeting, he also requested comprehensive reports on the response on Flores, in the Anak Krakatau area, and in fire-affected regions.
Earthquake, volcano and fires
According to Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency as of September 4, the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Flores Island on August 15 claimed 129 lives. Metro TV reported that more than 98,000 homes were damaged.
At the end of last week, an eruption of Anak Krakatau, located about 150 kilometers from Jakarta, caused the suspension of operations at eight airports. The volcano emitted lava and ash and, according to local media, the disruptions affected around 3,000 flights and approximately 341,000 passengers. As of the morning of September 8, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and five other airports had resumed operations, while two of the eight closed airfields remained shut.
Forest and land fires are most widespread in Kalimantan and Sumatra. Smoke from them has spread to neighboring Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines.
