Effendy then underlined that West Sumatra's soil characteristics and geographical position make the province highly susceptible to a range of natural disasters, such as high-magnitude earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunami, floods, and landslides.
Padang (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs Muhadjir Effendy urged the West Sumatra provincial government to carefully devise strategies for mitigating natural disasters in the province.

"West Sumatra is among the provinces most vulnerable to the threats of natural disasters. Therefore, it is necessary to take serious measures," he remarked during a national seminar and disaster simulation exercises held in Padang City on Thursday.

Effendy then underlined that West Sumatra's soil characteristics and geographical position make the province highly susceptible to a range of natural disasters, such as high-magnitude earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunami, floods, and landslides.

Bearing that in mind, the minister pressed local governments and relevant stakeholders to prepare various measures for mitigating disasters.

Speaking in relation to this year's National Disaster Preparedness Day falling on Friday (April 26), Effendy suggested that education stakeholders in West Sumatra incorporate lessons about disaster mitigation into the curriculum.

"This means that West Sumatra should have a special subject concerning disasters," he remarked.

He further underlined the need for the regional government to ensure that the special subject places focus on the most frequent disasters in West Sumatra rather than informing students about disasters in general.

After the subject is incorporated into the curriculum, he underscored the need for every educational institution to periodically hold a disaster simulation exercise involving their students, so they possess practical knowledge about the necessary steps required for facing natural disasters.

"Such a simulation exercise is aimed at maintaining vigilance," he remarked.

The minister then accentuated the need to continue to conduct simulations, even during a disaster-free period, since the negligence of people living in disaster-prone regions in Indonesia had led to a massive number of casualties during certain disasters.

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Translator: Muhammad Z, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Arie Novarina
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