Marapi Cold Lava Flood Mitigation, Water Face High Measurement Cable Immediately Created

A TNI personnel monitored the current of the Batang Katiak River after the cold lava flood of Mount Marapi in Agam Regency. (ANTARA/Muhammad Zulfikar).

JAKARTA - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) together with the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) are working together to strengthen the early warning system for cold lava floods and landslides around the Mount Marapi area of West Sumatra (West Sumatra).

"Immediately build an early warning system using cables to measure the water level," said Head of BNPB Lieutenant General (Letjen) TNI Suharyanto in Padang, West Sumatra, Friday, May 17, confiscated by Antara.

Given that strengthening the early warning system does not really require a large amount of money, Suharyanto suggested the use of the grant budget and rehabilitation or ready-to-use funds. BNPB is also ready to assist local governments to build the system.

Suharyanto said his party would continue to encourage the strengthening of the early warning system for the community, especially those living not far from the foot of Mount Marapi in Tanah Datar Regency and Agam Regency.

The creation of the early warning system is in accordance with the recommendations submitted by the BMKG during a disaster coordination meeting. The institution emphasized the importance of building an early warning system for direct flash flood disasters in the community.

In line with that, the Head of BMKG Dwikorita Karnawati said that the early warning system that had been used or conveyed by the agency he led was more of an early warning of rain.

"The early warning we conveyed was an early warning of rain, and this is not related to the early warning of lava floods," he explained.

This means, continued the former Chancellor of Gadjah Mada University, there must be an early warning system capable of measuring water levels such as the cable span. So, if the cable is cut off, the siren will automatically sound and the device must be installed in the upstream part of the river.

After conducting an analysis, the BMKG found an anomaly in the weather. Because, despite the dry season, the fact is that West Sumatra Province is still hit by rain. So that permanent long-term handling is needed in the form of preparedness and mitigation to anticipate similar disasters will repeat itself.

"Because indeed there are many river meetings around the foot of Mount Marapi, even up to three rivers. This needs to be handled with long-term preparedness and mitigation," he said.

The Head of BMKG emphasized that this needs to be a serious concern for stakeholders. Because, if it is not addressed then it can be the next threat and it is feared that it will have a bigger impact than before.

"We do not scare but this must be handled together if there is no rain, God willing, it is safe," said Dwikorita.