- The Head of BMKG, Dwikorita Karnawati, emphasized the importance of community understanding in disaster mitigation to support early warning systems in order to prevent economic losses and casualties due to disasters. She stressed that literacy and educational approaches are key to increasing understanding and the ability to use data and information produced by modern technology.
- Karnawati highlighted the Fisherman Weather Field School (SLCN) organized by BMKG as a low-cost but impactful effort in increasing community literacy about weather and climate and cited a success story of an SLCN alumnus who saved villagers during the Seroja Cyclone. She urged all parties, not only the government, but also academicians, communities, organizations, media, and business entities to be involved in increasing community capacity in mitigating and responding to early warning of disasters.
- The Head of BMKG invites the global community to take action together to address the gap between disaster technology and community understanding of disaster mitigation. With the increasing complexity of the earth’s current condition, fast, precise, accurate, and systematic data and observations, technological innovation, and reliable analysts and modeling are essential to prevent disasters from putting people’s lives and the economy at risk.
Indonesia’s meteorological agency, BMKG, has suggested that bridging the gap between disaster technology and comprehension can help the country better prepare for, and cope with, natural disasters.
Speaking at a conference on disaster preparedness, BMKG’s head, Dwikorita Karnawati, said that while the agency had made great strides in developing advanced disaster detection and warning systems, many Indonesians still lacked a deep understanding of how to respond to emergency situations.
To address this issue, Karnawati recommended that BMKG work more closely with local communities to provide training and education programs aimed at increasing disaster awareness and preparedness. She also urged the government to invest in up-to-date disaster response infrastructure, such as early warning systems and evacuation centers.
In recent years, Indonesia has suffered a series of devastating natural disasters, including earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. These events have highlighted the need for the country to improve its disaster readiness and response capabilities.
By fostering greater public understanding of disaster preparedness and providing access to the latest technology, BMKG aims to help Indonesia become more resilient in the face of future disasters.