The disasters constituted 987 whirlwinds, 678 floods, 673 forest fires, 646 landslides, 121 dry spells, 26 major earthquakes, 17 tidal waves and abrasions, and seven volcanic eruptions.
The disasters claimed 459 lives, resulted in 107 people going missing, caused injuries to 3,280 others, and affected 5,940,077 people.
A total of 61,821 homes were damaged, comprising 14,721 incurring serious damage, 11,772 suffering moderate damage, and 35,328 sustaining slight damage.
The natural disasters also damaged 1,881 public facilities, comprising 1,053 school buildings, 627 places of worship, and 201 health facilities.
In the meantime, Indonesia is endowed with fertile soil and various natural resources, but on the other hand, the country 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 the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).
Of the total, 2,572, or 96.9 percent of the natural disasters, were hydrometeorological in nature, such as floods, landslides, and whirlwind, while 76, or 3.1 percent, were geological disasters, such as earthquakes.
In a bid to deal with natural disasters that occur with such regularity, Indonesia has formed specific institutions at the local and national levels. The country has established the BNPB and Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) at the local level as well as the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) and the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), among others.
Owing to its long-standing experience and professionalism, Indonesia's disaster risk reduction model was named the best practice during the Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week (HNPW) 2019 organized in Geneva, Switzerland, on February 4-8, 2019.
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Translator: Aditya Ramadhan, Fardah
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
