BPBD Calls Five Kelurahan In Bantul DIY Entered The Tsunami Alert Zone

One of the southern coastal areas in Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta Special Region. (ANTARA)

BANTUL - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta Special Region, said that in 2023, five villages or sub-districts will receive assistance from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) and their agencies regarding tsunami hazard preparedness.

"This year Bantul has received assistance to verify the tsunami alert community, and currently in the mentoring process there are five sub-districts," said the Commander of the Center for Disaster Management Operations Control (Pusdalops PB) BPBD Bantul Aka Luk Luk Firmansyah as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, February 21.

The five sub-districts or villages in Bantul are two villages in Kretek District, namely Parangtritis and Tirtohargo, two villages in Sanden District, namely Srigading and Gadingsari, and one sub-district in Srandakan District, namely Poncosari.

According to him, the five sub-districts are proposed to receive assistance related to tsunami alerts because people in their areas directly face the south coast. This activity is also to realize the Tsunami Alert Society (UNESCO/IOC Tsunami Ready Community).

"So BMKG has an international program through UNESCO related to Tsunami Ready Community, a program for awareness for areas that have potential tsunami threats, so in Indonesian the Tsunami Alert Society," he said.

He explained that five villages were proposed to receive assistance and then received recognition both nationally and internationally regarding the tsunami alert, because they had met the indicators of 12 indicators for the achievement of the Tsunami Ready Community.

He said the indicators included the kelurahan or community must have a tsunami hazard map, then have information related to the forecast of the number of people in the tsunami hazard area.

"Inventory economic resources, infrastructure, then politics and social in an effort to reduce risks, especially tsunami hazards, is included in the category of assessment or identification," he said.

The next indicator at the preparedness stage, there must be a tsunami hazard map that has been socialized and compiled with the community, placing public information boards on the dangers of earthquakes and tsunamis, having educational and preparedness materials distributed to schools or educational units.

Furthermore, there are routine preparedness education activities, regular socialization in the community by the Disaster Risk Reduction Forum (FPRB) or kelurahan, lastly in the preparedness indicator carrying out tsunami disaster mitigation training at least once every two years.

"The five urban villages based on the initial surveys in 2021 and 2022 have met at least 12 indicators to get recognition both nationally, and later to be brought internationally through UNESCO to get Tsunami Ready Community recognition," he said.