By: Dyah Kusumaningtyas )*
The government under the direction of President Joko Widodo has moved quickly to deal with the eruption of Mount Semeru. The directive is expected to provide working guidelines for policy makers to accelerate the evacuation of victims and disaster management.
Mount Sumeru has spilled its lava, the natural disaster occurred on Saturday, December 4, 2021. As of Sunday 5/12 the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) stated that 14 people died in the disaster.
The President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has given orders to all his staff to move quickly in carrying out emergency response measures in the natural disaster of the eruption of Mount Semeru. The President has also received reports and continues to monitor them from time to time. This was conveyed by Pratikno as the Minister of State Secretary (Mensesneg) who gave information on behalf of President Jokowi.
National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Head of Basarnas, Minister of Social Affairs, Minister of Health, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing and also to the Commander of the Armed Forces, National Police Chief, Governor and Regent to take immediate action as quickly as possible, take emergency response steps, seek and find victims, provide treatment to injured victims and handle disaster impacts.
On the other hand, the President also ordered that health service assistance, provision of logistics to meet the basic needs of refugees, and repair of damaged infrastructure could be completed in a very short time.
The government also appealed to the public to always follow the directions of officers in the field and always increase vigilance. Moreover, Indonesia is indeed located in the ring of fire, which is prone to natural activities such as volcanic eruptions.
On behalf of the President, Vice President, Government and all Indonesian people, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno also expressed his deepest condolences for the victims who died and those who suffered injuries as a result of the Semeru eruption.
Meanwhile, in accordance with President Jokowi’s directives, the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) has dispatched a health team from the Health Crisis Center to assist residents affected by the eruption of Mount Semeru in East Java.
The incident made the local community feel worried. Moreover, Mount Semeru has been spewing hot clouds that are quite wide and volcanic ash thick enough. The team of health workers from the Health Crisis Center immediately coordinated with the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).
The team also brought logistics in the form of inflammatory drugs, ingaler, tents, eye ointment, medical masks, cloth masks, N95 masks and hand sanitizers for officers and residents affected by the disaster. Furthermore, the logistics were handed over to the Lumajang District Health Office for later distribution.
On a different occasion, the TNI Commander General Andika Perkasa said that his party had brought in a thermal live locater or body temperature detector to look for victims of the Semeru eruption who were buried in material.
In addition to deploying the body temperature detector, the TNI also deployed a number of heavy equipment, including 3 bulldozers, six excavators, seven dump trucks, three backhole loaders, and two osmosis reservoir (RO) vehicles. The RO aims to filter water, purify it to food grade, can be drunk, not just for bathing.
Andika said there were two RO vehicles that were dropped off at the refugee camps in Lumajang. So if there is a place of refuge then there is a source of water, ponds, puddles, which can be filtered and purified until they reach the food grade point.
The eruption disaster apparently caused the Besuk Kobokan bridge on Turen National Road, Lumajang to collapse. The bridge is known to have been built in 1997 with a length of 129 meters and a width of 9.6 meters. The PUPR Ministry finally looked for alternative routes to reopen public access and ensure that aid distribution did not stagnate.
The Ministry of PUPR through the East Java Regional Settlement Infrastructure Center (BPPW) has sent a number of aids and heavy equipment. The ministry also brought ten units of public hydrants with a capacity of 2,000 liters.
In addition, six units of emergency shelter tents, one toilet car and 10 emergency response personnel were also prepared. The equipment will immediately be installed at the evacuation point according to the results of the Lumajang BPBD coordination.
Handling of the Mount Semeru Eruption Disaster must be carried out quickly and precisely, coordination between institutions and ministries must be continuously encouraged. So that victims can get help quickly and optimally.
)* The author is a contributor to the Indonesian Institute of Strategic Information Studies
