Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Social Affairs has established 854 Disaster Resilient Villages (KSB) and 208 social shelters to anticipate natural disasters in several vulnerable areas in Indonesia.
The statistics are based on data provided by the Directorate of Social Protection for Natural Disaster Victims (Dit PKSBA).
The KSB and social shelters have been established at the direction of Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini, the directorate’s mitigation sub-coordinator Tota Oceanna Zonneveld said on behalf of acting director Iyan Kusmadiana in a written statement issued on Friday.
Developing the villages and shelters is aimed to ensure community preparation in facing disaster threats, as well as to map natural resources, human resources (HR), and infrastructure that can be used when a natural disaster occurs, Zonneveld said.
"Until December 2021, there were a total of 854 KSBs spread across 34 provinces throughout Indonesia, with the highest number of locations, namely 99 KSBs in West Java province," Zonneveld added.
To support the handling of natural disasters, Minister Rismaharini has instructed all levels of the ministry to establish social shelters in disaster-prone areas by collaborating with regional governments and other related parties, the official said.
"Until now, a total of 208 social shelters have been established in 13 provinces, namely in West Java 43, Central Java 37, East Java 15, Banten 3, West Kalimantan 47, South Kalimantan 7, North Kalimantan 2, East Kalimantan 2, East Nusa Tenggara 16, South Sulawesi 11, DI Yogyakarta 2, Aceh 14, and West Nusa Tenggara 9," Zonneveld informed.
Zonneveld further said that the area classified as the most disaster-prone is West Java, particularly Sumedang district.
The hilly topography of the area holds potential for natural disasters in the form of landslides, he added. There are two KSBs in Sumedang district, namely in Tanjungkarya and Cimanggu sub-districts, Zonneveld said.
The KSB program has involved the organization of several community-based activities, such as providing briefings on procedures for evacuation, establishing shelters, providing first aid, and preparing social shelters, Zonneveld added.
For instance, in Cihanjuang village in Cimanggung sub-district, Sumedang, a landslide had occurred on January 9, 2021, he said. At that time, the community was not ready to face the natural disaster, he added. This resulted in 16 fatalities and dozens of injuries, Zonneveld continued.
Minister Rismaharini later visited the location and brought aid and ordered the establishment of a KSB immediately so that the community could carry out disaster mitigation, he said. With the existence of the KSB, local residents can be prepared when a natural disaster occurs, Zonneveld added.
