Papua Using Digital Technology to Reduce Disaster Impact

VIVA – Papua Provincial Government through the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) is trying to use digital technology to reduce the impact of disasters and increase community preparedness and response during natural disasters.

Head of BPBD Papua Province, William Manderi said Papua is known for hydrometeorological disasters where extreme weather change phenomena occur so mitigation is necessary.

"Therefore, we continue to innovate by providing information to the public so they can be prepared,” Manderi said in Jayapura on Thursday.

He said that his agency has launched the Papua Disaster Mitigation Data and Information Management System (SIMDIP). Papua Police have also launched the Serlok Bencana (disaster location) application, which allows the public to report the locations of natural disasters.

"We provide the information system so people can get information about disasters from any region," he informed.

That way, communication regarding disaster preparation can be made smoother. It would also allow BPBD to obtain information about the situation in disaster-affected areas, making disaster mitigation efforts more effective, efficient, and quick. 

"The community can report the disaster locations, so the handling can be quicker, thus reducing the impact of disasters," Manderi explained.

It is expected that this form of innovation will be utilized by the public, he added.

Earlier, he expressed his commitment to strengthening preparedness against disasters triggered by climate change, which causes 75 percent of disasters.

Manderi said that disaster preparedness can help minimize casualties. For strengthening alertness against disaster, he informed that his agency is collaborating with community leaders to prepare residents living in disaster-prone areas, such as on mountain slopes or along riverbanks, especially during heavy rainfall.

"Public information must be done frequently to minimize casualties when disasters occur. For instance, (advising them to) move to their relatives' homes that are not prone to disasters," he stated.