BNPB Proposes Additional Budget Ceiling To Anticipate Megathrust Earthquakes

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JAKARTA - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) proposed adding a budget ceiling for 2025 to IDR 1.887 trillion to the DPR-RI to anticipate the potential for earthquakes and tsunamis in the megathrust zone.

Head of BNPB Suharyanto said the potential for a megathrust zone disaster needs to be anticipated optimally because Indonesia itself is surrounded by 13 zones.

Even as the issues that have been circulating in public spaces recently, experts have assessed that two earthquakes, namely the Megathrust Segment of the Mentawai-Siberut and the Sunda Strait, are active again after hundreds of years and have the potential to cause a major disaster impact.

"Therefore, mitigation efforts must be carried out seriously and thoroughly. And on this occasion, we hope that the proposed additional budget can be approved so that we can carry out disaster mitigation programs optimally," said Suharyanto as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, September 3.

He explained several ongoing efforts and BNPB will include implementing Disaster Resilient Village Expeditions which contain socialization and training to communities in disaster-prone villages along the megathrust zone.

BNPB targets the installation of sirens and signs as early warning tools and evacuation instructions in 181 villages located in 13 megathrust segments.

Suharyanto explained that his party also scheduled a simulation of self-evacuation of earthquakes and tsunamis in the provinces of East Java, Central Java, West Java, Banten, and West Sumatra. The five provinces are areas located at the Megathrust zone of the Mentawai-Siberut Segment and the Sunda Strait Segment.

"If BMKG prepares an early detection tool for earthquakes and tsunamis. Now, BNPB prepares a community called Disaster Resilient Village, then reactivates socialization on various media channels to harmonize so that this issue does not become a commotion but enthusiasm to prepare itself," he said.

At the working meeting, Suharyanto asked Commission VIII of the DPR to approve the addition of the BNPB budget of IDR 1.887 trillion in the 2025 budget ceiling, because in general the BNPB indicative ceiling for the 2025 budget year work plan worth IDR 927.574 billion decreased very drastically, around 67.3 percent of the 2024 budget allocation.

In fact, in his presentation, it was known that the total budget for mitigation activities under the Deputy for Prevention of BNPB only received an allocation with a total value of IDR 57.511 billion, which was smaller than in 2024 with a total of IDR 175.676 billion.

"It can be said that it is very lacking. In our opinion, it is actually Rp1.887 trillion for the context of a country, which is very lacking. Not to mention implementing other programs, such as disaster mitigation at IKN. But as an initial fund this is very important for prevention," he said.