It is necessary to change the attitude of the people and the government in responding to recurring natural disasters in a number of areas that have claimed lives and property.
Last week, landslides and flash floods struck in Central Bengkulu; Gresik, East Java; Pulau Sembilan, South Kalimantan; and across Sulawesi from north to south. Earlier, flash floods also affected people living downstream in Jeneberang, South Sulawesi, and Sentani, Papua.
Some people and government officials still view regional disasters in isolation. An assumption remains that continuous heavy rainfall over an extended period is the cause of recent disasters.
In fact, this daily’s investigation into the flow of the Jeneberang River found that heavy rainfall indeed triggered the flash floods. However, environmental damage and loss of vegetation in the upstream area had caused dramatic degradation to the surrounding ecosystem. The same condition was observed around the Cycloop Mountains that caused the flash floods in Sentani.
The loss from natural disasters is not limited to direct consequences such as loss of life, disabilities and injuries, and loss of houses and public facilities like schools and offices. Disasters impoverish the victims, especially children, because they lose the opportunity to live more prosperously.
Natural disasters can stem from unavoidable causes like volcanic earthquakes and tectonic earthquakes. However, there are natural disasters that we can prevent, such as floods and landslides. Human activity that ignores the natural balance has been proven to cause environmental damage. This can be prevented if the government and people change the way they use natural resources.
The government has established disaster management agencies down to the regency level. In order to be more efficient, these agencies must also develop disaster education and training for officials and the public, aside from forming strategies for preventing and overcoming disasters and providing a large enough budget.
Some issues that are often overlooked include compliance with spatial planning and territorial management, illegal logging, banning construction on riverbanks and waste management. Those that violate these regulations often receive only light punishment.
Many communities have been able to preserve the environment through customary values that have been maintained and handed down for generations. In our society, which maintains close ties among members through a common interest, improving public awareness on the environment is relatively easier. The government, therefore, needs to form agencies to control the market while empowering communities and developing their independence.