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Virtual Learning Program: Disaster Mitigation’s Importance

Based on data from MAGMA Indonesia, there are currently 127 active volcanoes in Indonesia. This is what triggers the frequent volcanic eruptions that occur in Indonesia. Natural catastrophes in Indonesia are also influenced by other circumstances, such as the abrupt earthquake in Cianjur, the flooding in Jakarta, and the eruption of Mount Sinabung. The frequency and unpredictability of disasters are rising, and it is uncertain how much damage they will cause.

Considering Indonesia’s environmental disasters, it goes without saying that we must take precautions and work to reduce the risk and damage of a disaster. By reducing the impact of natural disasters, we can minimize their consequences. So, what is mitigation of natural disasters?

According to Law 24 of 2007, mitigation is a series of efforts to reduce disaster risk, both through physical development and awareness and capacity building in dealing with disaster threats. Mitigation can also be interpreted as steps that are also carried out before a disaster occurs.

Making maps of disaster-prone locations, building earthquake-resistant structures, cutting electricity during floods, reforesting trees, offering counseling to those who reside in disaster-prone areas, and increasing awareness about these issues are just a few of their operations.

So on December 10th of 2022, Act Global create spaces to learn about the importance of Disaster Mitigation with Alvin Gus Abdurrahman Wahid, PetaBencana.id’s coordinator for public relations and communication.

PetaBencana.id is a free and open web-based platform that creates visualizations of disaster reports gathered using the crowdsourcing approach and real-time government agency confirmation. Report crowd sourcing to those that have been verified will be immediately displayed on the PetaBencana.id website, where this platform is mobile-friendly and light on data.

Additionally, the map shows verified information from regional government agencies. This is a method of preventing disasters. PetaBencana.id offers tools for real-time cooperation so that even in the event of an unplanned crisis, everyone is equipped with the knowledge they need to act safely. Only reported disasters in real time are displayed on the PetaBencana.id website. Any institution, foundation, or community that truly need the data—including many of our partners already mentioned, like BNPB, BPBD, NASA, and the World Bank—can request the aggregate data, which is maintained and available upon request.

This is how PetaBencana.id works:
1. Someone reported a disaster on social media
2. The bot is detected as a disaster by adding the hashtag name of the disaster, then there is a link as a report card for identification.

A further intriguing feature is that all reports are publicly accessible in an effort to facilitate locals’ field action. Currently, NASA and PetaBencana.id are working together to integrate data because NASA has satellites that can forecast disasters. PetaBencana.id It also features information from the Regional Government (Pemda).

Right now, the PetaBencana.id application can be used throughout Indonesia, as well as MapaKalamidad.ph in the Philippines, and currently developing TabahiNaqsha.pk for Pakistan. Disaster updates from PetaBencana.id are available on Twitter, Telegram, and Facebook Messenger. so that it can aid the neighborhood in reporting disasters.

When submitting reports, the GPS must be turned on and able to determine the reporter’s location. If the area in question is not exactly where the reporter is, be sure to slightly move the location pin so that the report can proceed (this is to avoid people making spam reports).

Along with sharing sessions, this virtual study program included a Twitter and Telegram disaster reporting simulation. so that the knowledge acquired can be used right away. However, remember Be careful to include the sentence “TES (space) complete name” while making a simulation report so that the PetaBencana.id staff can distinguish between the real report and the simulation.

In conclusion, as it soruces on Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA), this is the importance of a  mitigation:

1. Mitigation creates safer communities by reducing losses of life and property.
2. Mitigation enables individuals and communities to recover more rapidly from disasters.
3. Mitigation lessens the financial impact of disasters on individuals, the Treasury, and state, local, and tribal communities.

Written by: Ni Putu Mia Puriyanti