Energy, Communications Ministries Launch Volcano Warning System

MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES

PRESS RELEASE

NUMBER: 129.Pers/04/SJI/2021

Date: 12 April 2021

Energy, Communications Ministries Launch Volcano Warning System

To improve mitigation of geological disasters and reduce the impact of geological disasters early on, Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) and Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (Kominfo) on Monday (12/4) signed a cooperation agreement on the dissemination of volcanic activities and eruption information.

The agreement was signed by Director General of Post and Informatics Administration Ahmad M. Ramli representing Kominfo, and Head of Geological Agency Eko Budi Lelono on behalf of ESDM at the Auditorium of the Geological Agency in Bandung, West Java.

Under the cooperation, communities living near areas prone to geological hazards will receive text messages (SMS blast) giving up-to-date information about volcanic eruption hazards in their area.

The SMS Blast integrate the disaster information system belonging to the Geological Agency, in particular the Center for Volcanology and Mitigation of Geological Disasters (PVMBG), with the disaster information delivery system developed by Kominfo.

Head of Geological Agency in his welcome remarks said that the population density in geological disaster-prone areas (KRB) is increasing. The increase has forced the government to improve the mitigation of geological disasters using advances in information technology while still conducting information dissemination and providing the public with sufficient education.

"With technological advances, communities (living in disaster-prone areas) have requested the government to provide data and information services so that they can survive a disaster," said Eko Budi.

Indonesia's geographical condition, where disaster-prone areas are scattered and have limited access to telecommunication networks, has posed a challenge to information dissemination.

"The program to disseminate hazard information in disaster-prone areas through telecommunications providers and public broadcasters is one of the solutions to the challenge," added Eko Budi.

Meanwhile, Director General of Post and Informatics Administration, Ahmad M. Ramli, said the SMS Blast launching is timely because at the moment a number of volcanoes show increased activities.

Ahmad went on to say that Kominfo has made coordination steps since December 2020, and at the moment the system has technically been connected to the SMS systems of a number of cellular operators such as Telkomsel, Indosat, XL, and Hutchison 3.

On the same occasion, Head of PVMBG Andiani said the SMS notification gives warning about disaster potential and serves as the earliest mitigation for people living in disaster-prone areas.

"The notification is one of our efforts to give early warning to people who live in disaster-prone areas, and it is also meant to strengthen people's capacity to face disaster potential," said Andiani.

To develop the disaster notification system, PVMBG and Kominfo had completed several trials to ensure the system runs well. The system development has actually been initiated a few years ago.

The cooperation will enable both ministries to foster synergy in providing data and information about other geological hazards in disaster-prone areas, such as volcanic activity level and eruption, land movement, earthquakes, and tsunami. (IY)

Head of Bureau of Communication, Public Information Services, and Cooperation

Agung Pribadi (08112213555)

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