Warning Signs Installed Along Active Fault Lines

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

The Lembang fault, which marks the border between Lembang district, West Bandung regency, and Bandung city, West Java, will have a disastrous impact on the region if there is a land shift.

SUKABUMI, KOMPAS -- The government is planning to install warning signs along active and well-mapped fault lines, including the Lembang fault in West Java, in order to reduce disaster risks.

Nationwide, 295 new fault line zones have been discovered. A study by Rahma Hanifa from the National Earthquake Research Center (Pusgen) shows that 2,892 schools, 40 hospitals and 126 community health centers (Puskesmas) are located within 1 kilometer on active fault lines. Furthermore, more than 4.1 million people live in these areas.

“It is the government’s duty to warn people so that we will not be blamed during disasters. Whether they like it or not, people need to understand the risk. In the future, we need to apply spatial planning based on disaster risk,” newly appointed National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) chief Doni Monardo said during his visit to a landslide’s location in Sukabumi, West Java, on Friday.

Accompanying him on the visit were Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) geotechnology research center head Eko Yulianto; Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) head Dwikorita Karnawati; Center of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (CVGHM) head Kasbani and a number of disaster experts.

Doni said disaster risk reduction would be the BNPB’s top priority. He gave no explanations on when the warning signs would be installed.

According to Eko, he found in his studies that many buildings, including schools and hospitals, were built on top of the Lembang fault. Despite a West Java gubernatorial regulation designating areas within 250 meters of fault lines as building-free, new buildings keep cropping up in these areas.

“Moving existing buildings is the most difficult challenge.”

Risky schools

Eko said the structural adequacy of schools in earthquake-prone zones should be studied, adding that those built on top of active fault lines should be relocated.

“Buildings on fault lines will certainly collapse during earthquakes. So, relocating them is a must. During earthquakes, there will be shockwaves.”

Separately, disaster-safe school campaigner Zam Zam Muzaki said information on disaster risks at schools on top of fault lines should be disseminated.

“We have had the list of schools since last year. We will encourage [these schools] to improve their disaster preparedness. We have created an online disaster-safe school guideline for teachers and employees,” said Muzaki who is also an expert

staff of inclusion and disasters at the Education and Culture Ministry’s special education and services directorate.

In the long run, the ministry would coordinate with the Public Works and Housing Ministry and local governments to study buildings’ structural adequacies. The ministry will also push to strengthen construction.

(AIK)