KULON PROGO (August 19 2020) - The Ministry of Social Affairs determined Kulon Progo Regency as the eighth Disaster Preparedness Area (KWSB) area in Indonesia. The disaster alert area in this district includes Temon District, Galur District, Panjatan District and Karangwuni District.

The Minister of Social Affairs, Juliari P. Batubara explained that the development of the KWSB was carried out as an effort to increase publicity and community mitigation in anticipation of extraordinary disaster events and reduced disaster risk in Kulon Progo Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta.

"The president's direction is clear, increasing disaster preparedness in disaster-prone areas. Kulon Progo was chosen as a KWSB area because indeed here was prone to disaster. The Ministry of Social Affairs launched 471 Indonesian disaster alert areas including here," Juliari said.

The development of this KWSB, said Social Minister, is a form of mutuality because if only relies on TNI, Polri, Tagana personnel and other government elements, disaster management will not be maximal.

"Whatever the number of government personnel is still lacking," Social Minister explained.

At the initial stage, KWSB was developed in seven sub-districts in Cilacap and Kebumen Regency, Central Java and Pangandaran Regency, West Java. The seventh sub-district was Kalipucang District, Pangandaran District, and Sidamulih District in Pangandaran Regency. Then, Kesugihan Subdistrict and Adipala Subdistrict in Cilacap Regency), as well as Father and Subdistrict Buayan Subdistrict in Kebumen Regency.

"In seven sub-districts there are villages (based on the results of BMKG mapping) which have a high risk and are on the megathrust path. Some of the villages have a low risk of disaster, but are expected to be a buffer area when a disaster," said the two period of former member of DPR.

Social Minister added the development of the Disaster Preparedness Village to become a disaster alert area to anticipate the dangers of natural disasters such as landslides, flooding and even the possibility of megathrust because there was a collision between the Indo-Australia and Eurasian plate which could trigger a tsunami.

"We will continue to develop the KSB of the Disaster Siaga Village to become a disaster alert area for the area with the threat of a major disaster. Currently the total of the disaster preparedness villages is 741," added the former chairman of the IMI for two periods.

Before the launching of KSB, the Ministry of Social Affairs had already held a coordination meeting with the local government and related stakeholders.

Coordination meetings, called Juliari became a momentum to harmonize communication and the steps of all partners of the Ministry of Social Affairs at the provincial, regency/city and district levels to the village.

"The Social Ministry is only one of the central levels that deal with natural disasters, while handling natural disasters must be carried out in an integrated manner, both at the center and regions, at all stages of disaster management ranging from pre-disaster," he concluded.

Juliari explained that in the KWSB of the community was given education and simulation how to anticipate if a disaster with the goal so that residents know what the disaster hit.

"When a disaster occurs, residents of the disaster alert area are truly ready. That's important," Juliari explained.

Meanwhile, Director General of Social Protection and Security, Pepen Nazaruddin, said KSB focused on providing education to the public.

"In this education, the Ministry of Social Affairs developed a Community-Based Disaster or Management implemented in the Tagana Goes to School (TMS) and Disaster Siaga Village (KSB)," said Pepen.

The KWSB developed today, according to Pepen, has a wider range. KWSB now covers disaster-prone areas that are bordered by inter-district and / or inter-provinces.


Development of Equipment and Service Facilities of Evacuees

In addition to developing Disaster Siaga Village to become a disaster alert area, Kemensos also developed facilities and infrastructure for evacuees in the event of a disaster.

Juliari explained one of the development of disaster facilities namely window tents that can be quickly installed at the disaster site.

"This tent can be sealed so that if there is one flee that can be collected into one. Besides that, this tent can also be intended specifically for sick evacuees," Social Minister explained.

In addition to the tent, the Ministry of Social Affairs has also made a kitchen motorbike that can deliver food to evacuees which cannot be reached by a public kitchen.

"Public kitchen motorbikes are the development and answers to the need for food supply to evacuees in the worst or difficult area," explained the father of two children.

The direction of President Jokowi, he continued, was very clear that if there was a disaster, the handling of evacuees must be maximized and not until they were starving.

On that occasion, the Ministry of Social Affairs also provided assistance to the Government of Kulon Progo and DIY Province of Rp. 1,601,808,000, consisting of logistics assistance for 4 Social Lumbung KSB amounting to Rp. 160,059,350 with a total of Rp. 640,237,400, multipurpose truck assistance 1 unit worth Rp. 445,012,500, Public Kitchen Motor Help 1 Unit worth Rp. 55,608,300, until logistics assistance for DIY Province worth Rp. 460,949,800.