Jokowi Promises to Create Budget for Tsunami Detector in 2019

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo or Jokowi promises to create a budget to update and repair the tsunami detector. The budget will be allocated in the 2019 State Budget.

“In early January, I will order to replace the damaged or old equipment that cannot be used for a long time,” said Jokowi at Syukuran Aminuddin Amir Airport, Luwuk Sub-district, Banggai Regency, Central Sulawesi, Sunday, December 23.

After the Sunda Strait tsunami, Jokowi ordered his staff to check all tsunami detectors.

“Actually, I have also ordered to check all the equipment and replace it if something is damaged,” Jokowi said. It seems that the order was blocked by the budget.

Read also: Sunda Strait Tsunami Kills at Least 222, More Than 800 Injured

The head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Data and Information Center, Sutopo Purwonugroho, previously said that the tsunami detector in Indonesia was not functioning. The device called the buoy was damaged by vandalism and lost due to being stolen.

Meanwhile, the head of the Earthquake and Tsunami Center of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), Rachmat Triyono said, it only had a tool to report an early warning for tsunami caused by the tectonic earthquake. That is why, the tsunami in the Sunda Strait on Saturday night, December 22, was not detected.

“The tsunami (hit the coast of Banten and South Lampung) is caused by the volcanic earthquake, currently there are no detectors,” Rahmat said in his office on Sunday morning, December 23.

The eruption activity of Mount Anak Krakatau was suspected as the cause of the tsunami that hit the coast of Banten, and Lampung. The strength of the tsunami increases when it joins the high tides due to the full moon phenomenon.

VINDRY FLORENTIN