Disaster Management in Indonesia

Tsunami strikes again in Japan on March 11, 2011. After a deadly 8.9 earthquake, one of the largest earthquakes in the history of Japan, a massive tsunami hit the north east coast of Japan.

Indonesia is one of the world's most disaster-prone countries. Now is the time for Indonesia to priorite management disaster.

To get everything that essential about:

• Understand what is a disaster, the loss from it, prevention act, what should we do in a disaster, and also survival act after it.  
• Reduce fatality and loss from a disaster.
• Detection of disaster, avoid its potential threats, prevent its effect in every aspects.
• Better in get over a disaster and helping victims.
• Restore places to normal better and faster.
• More efficient and effective in resources.

Potential Hazards

• Geologically prone to earthquake, tsunami, volcano eruption and landslides.
• Hydrometeorology (flood, flash-flood, typhoon and drought).
• Biology (epidemics, diseases and pest).
• Environment degradation (deforestation, forest fire, haze, water and air pollution).
• Technological failure (transportation and industrial accidents).
• Social Conflict (civil unrest and terrorism).

Policies 

• Strengthen national capability in disaster management, especially in prevention, mitigation and preparedness.
• Manage and mobilize all potential resources (infrastructure and manpower) in disaster preparedness, responds and recovery.
• Empower local authorities in anticipating and responding disaster in their regions.
• Coordinate all stakeholders and activities in disaster management.
• Incorporate disaster risk reduction in the framework of national development plan.

Strategies

• Disseminate disaster risk reduction and strengthen capacity through training and education.
• Prepare disaster legislation, regulations and standard operating procedures.
• Set up disaster management information systems.
• Disseminate hazard mapping and risk assessment.
• Set up disaster management plan in all levels.
• Strengthen National/Provincial/District Emergency Operation Center and Rapid Response Team.
• Strengthen local capacity in disaster recovery. 

Conclusions

Indonesia is disaster prone country, both natural and human induce disaster. Disaster management in Indonesia needs support from space technology in terms of hazard and risk mapping, early warning, damage assessment and rehabilitation. The Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum or APRSAF play an important role to assist Indonesia in the disaster management.