Badung, Bali (ANTARA) - The 10th World Water Forum in Bali on Wednesday discussed how community-based disaster warning systems are the most important component of the Center of Excellence (CoE) cooperation.

"Warning systems in the community are the main requirement. However, if not supported by appropriate spatial planning and technology, there will still be victims. The CoE discussed it," head of the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), Dwikorita Karnawati, said on Wednesday.

She made the statement after attending a panel discussion on CoE, held as part of the 10th World Water Forum in Badung, Bali.

Karnawati said that disaster early warning systems around the world, including in Indonesia, still depend on the application of technology. Technology, she pointed out, cannot be a solution if it is not supported by social aspects, especially community involvement.

"For example, technology is already advanced for tsunami early warning; the technological leap has been big. However, even though there is an early warning system, (and) the central government provides it to the regions, there must be responses from the community," she explained.

She highlighted the need for people's participation through communities built in disaster-prone areas so that early-warning systems can run optimally and reach those who are at risk of being affected by disasters.

Indonesia is hosting the 10th World Water Forum, themed "Water for Shared Prosperity," in Bali from May 18 to 25, 2024.

The forum seeks to build CoE cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region to respond to water issues influenced by climate change.

The presence of the CoE as an alliance of countries in the Asia-Pacific is expected to build strong collaboration in responding to disaster mitigation.

The panel discussion on the CoE was attended by representatives from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) of Indonesia, the Indonesian Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, UNESCO, and private business players, among others.

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Translator: Andi Firdaus, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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