Kominfo Officially Launches EWS On Digital TV For Early Warning Of Natural Disasters

Launch of the National Disaster Early Warning System (photo: Dinda Buana/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Communication and Information officially launched the delivery of disaster information in the form of the Early Warning System (EWS) which integrates the disaster system from the Ministry/Regional Institutions to digital TV broadcasts.

Minister of Communication and Information Budi Arie Setiadi said that this system has two Main features, the first is sending an SMS blast notification in collaboration with cellular operators in Indonesia.

In addition, the EWS Kominfo has also been integrated with various systems from the KLD providing information to affected communities, which includes BMKG related to earthquakes and tsunamis and KLHK related to forest and land fires.

"The third is BNPB related to disaster information, and the PVMBG Geological Agency is related to volcanic activity, and the fifth is DKI Jakarta BPBD regarding flood information," Budi said at the Press Conference for the Launch of the National Disaster Early Warning System on Tuesday, October 1 in Jakarta.

Budi also emphasized that the development of this system technology is a grant from the Japanese government, which is expected to reduce the number of victims affected by natural disasters.

The implementation of this digital EWS TV will be available on digital TV broadcasts using a Kominfo-certified Set Top Box (STB), as well as MUX or broadcast broadcasts broadcast via multiplex networks owned by channel service groups.

Later, there will be three levels of disaster urgency that will appear with three different colors. The blue color for the status of "Alert", yellow for the status of "Alert", and red for "Alert" status and the highest.

Masaki Yasushi, Japan's Ambassador to Indonesia also hopes that the existing system in Indonesia can have the same function as the existing system in Japan, which is also used to inform not only disasters but also water and electricity.