To Minimize Victims, The Government Send Blast SMS Regarding Disaster Alert

Illustration messanger (Photo by Adem AY on Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) together with the Ministry of Communication and Informatics (Kemenkominfo) collaborated to disseminate information on disaster activities. This is done as a form of disaster mitigation.

Later, the government will launch a mass instant messaging service or Blast SMS through telecommunications operators and broadcasters in geological disaster-prone areas (KRB).

The Blast SMS serves as integration between disaster information systems owned by the Geological Agency, especially the Center for Volcanology of Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG) to the disaster information delivery system built by the Ministry of Communication and Informatics (Kominfo).

"The program of disseminating disaster information through telecommunications operators and broadcasters in Disaster Prone Areas is one solution to the problem", said Head of The Geological Agency Eko Budi Lelono in his written statement, Tuesday, April 13.

According to the Director-General of Post Administration and Informatics Kemenkominfo Ahmad M. Ramli, the moment of launch of the Blast SMS core disaster has coordinated with a number of mobile operators. Some of them are Telkomsel, Indosat, XL and Hutchison 3.

The Blast SMS feature that has been tested on the community is during the eruption of Mount Sinabung on April 10, 2021. Where people will receive messages that include the level of activity and eruption of volcanoes, to recommendations for shelter from earthquakes and tsunamis.

"This notification (SMS) is one of our efforts in providing early warning to people living in disaster-prone areas as well as strengthening the capacity of the community to always be ready in the face of potential disasters", said the Head of the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG) Geological Agency, Andiani.