The agency provides disaster mitigation literacy to the students through the "SAR Goes to School" Program to reduce risks of fatalities during disasters, the agency's spokesman, Nuriadin Gumelang, remarked.
The students were taught about ways to evacuate quickly and safely during disastrous events so that they would hopefully be well aware of the disaster risks from an early age, he stated here, Friday.
To this end, all related parties, including families, schools, and communities, need to guide pupils and teenage students as dangerous events, including drowning, flooding, and earthquakes, could occur anytime, he remarked.
Manado and several other parts of North Sulawesi Province are prone to hydrometeorological disasters such as flooding and landslides as well as volcanic eruptions and tsunamis, he noted.
Related news: BNPB forbids Mt Ruang victims from returning home over safety concerns
As reported earlier, in January 2023, floods and landslides hit Manado, killing a resident and affecting dozens of families, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).
The flooding and landslides were triggered by heavy downpours that caused the Tondano River to overflow and inundate the surrounding areas, according to the agency.
On April 16, 2024, Mount Ruang in North Sulawesi Province erupted. As a result, the BNPB noted that hundreds of affected residents were evacuated.
The BNPB reported that the eruption forced residents in the villages of Patologi and Pumpente in Tagulandang Sub-district, Sitaro District, to evacuate using Lokong Banua and Lohoraung ferry vessels as well as the locals' boats.
The displaced villagers took shelter at several places, including the GMIST Nazareth Bahoi Church, Bahoi Vocational Center, Tagulandang Sports Center, and the Tagulandang community center, the agency stated.
The eruption not only displaced locals but also disrupted the communication network in Laingpatehi Village, according to the BNPB.
The BNPB reported that an increase in volcanic activity may have been triggered by the tectonic earthquake that jolted Doi Island in North Maluku.
Related news: Basarnas redeploys personnel after Mount Ruang's fresh ashfall
Translator: Karel AP, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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