"We witnessed a 7.4-magnitude earthquake shaking Taiwan earlier this month. Properly functioning early warning systems and possession of knowledge about the quake epicenter have managed to minimize damage and casualties resulting from a tremor with such a high magnitude," he remarked in Bandung, West Java, on Wednesday.
In his opening speech for the National Coordination Meeting on Disaster Mitigation, the vice president emphasized that Indonesia should take notes from developed countries in preventing and mitigating disasters, augmenting preparedness, taking emergency measures, and conducting rehabilitation and reconstruction works.
He observed that the integration of technology and data-oriented innovation constitutes the key to pursuing a higher level of effectiveness and efficiency in disaster prevention and mitigation.
Amin then outlined various strategic steps required to mitigate disasters, with making the most of conveniences offered by technology being one of them.
"It is necessary to make the most of developments in technology and artificial intelligence to monitor potentials for disasters while developing early warning systems, building disaster mitigation capacity, and minimizing disaster risks," he pointed out.
He also emphasized the importance of accurately mapping out disaster risks before integrating the result into spatial, environmental, and resource plans.
The vice president also urged regional disaster mitigation agencies to improve their services while emphasizing the need for implementing relevant policies and paying attention to post-disaster restoration measures.
"We need to ensure proportional division of roles between central and regional (disaster mitigation agencies) in building people's resilience and self-reliance and suppressing the risks of future disasters," he stated.
As for the last proposed step, Amin pressed for the need to devise integrated financing plans for disaster mitigation activities.
For the strategic steps to succeed, he called on all elements of society, including business actors, academicians, and the public, to play an active role.
"That way, we can hope for more responsive and adaptive disaster mitigation and produce a more disaster-resilient society," he concluded.
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Translator: Benardy F, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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