Jokowi visited the elementary school to review a program called "Tagana," or disaster vigilant `cadets,` that teaches lessons on disaster risk reduction to students.
The president was accompanied by Social Affairs Minister Agus Gumiwang, Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Doni Monardo, and Governor of Banten Wahidin Halim during the visit to the school.
The president observed as a teacher offered the students an explanation on what they should do in case a disaster strikes.
Through a song, the teacher also offered survival tips to the students at the time of a disaster, including covering their heads, or hiding under tables, and rushing out of buildings toward a gathering spot.
In Banten Province, disaster risk reduction education is to be disseminated in 55 schools involving 276 students and a total of 5,500 students of elementary, junior high, and senior high schools.
The president was also present at the inauguration of a Disaster Alert Kampong event being held on February 17-19, 2019.
A total of 420 local residents and prominent figures in seven sub-districts in Banten that are prone to natural disasters took part in the event.
In fact, Indonesia is prone to natural disasters, as it is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, where numerous volcanoes and earthquakes occur.
During the period from January to mid-December last year, a total of 2,572 natural disasters had hit the country, leaving at least 4,821 people dead or missing, according to BNPB.
Of the total, 2,572, or 96.9 percent of the natural disasters, were hydrometeorological in nature, such as floods, landslides, and whirlwinds, while 76, or 3.1 percent, were geological disasters, such as earthquakes.
In January 2019, Indonesia was hit by 366 natural disasters that claimed 94 lives or led to several going missing, injured 149, and affected and displaced 88,613 others.
Reporting by Bayu Prasetyo, fardah
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
