Megathrust Earthquake: BMKG Urges Ministry to Ensure Disaster Preparedness of Tourist Destinations

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) urged the Ministry of Tourist and Creative Economy to ensure beaches have earthquake and tsunami mitigation standards to respond to megathrust earthquake potential. 

According to the BMKG Head of the Indian and Pacific Oceans Tsunami Mitigation Department, Suci Anugrah, many hotels and tourist destinations are neglecting the basic standards of earthquake and tsunami mitigation. “We often find hotels with unclear evacuation signs, interior management that makes it difficult during an earthquake, and emergency exits that are difficult to operate," said Suci in a press conference on Monday, August 26, 2024.

Suci believed tourism safety standards in Indonesia are essential to support sustainable tourism. According to Suci, only Bali thus far has implemented adequate disaster mitigation standards.

Suci said a megathrust earthquake is inevitable as it’s been analyzed through scientific studies. Therefore, a structural mitigation plan is necessary since the precise timing of a megathrust earthquake cannot be predicted. 

"The tourism sector must prepare a mitigation plan now that we are familiar with the term megathrust and tsunami,” Suci said.

Suci explained that there are three stages of mitigation for the tourism sector to prepare against megathrust potential. First, establish an evacuation system at tourist attractions. Hotels must provide crystal clear and easy-to-digest evacuation signs and mitigation instructions.

The second stage of mitigation, said Suci, is providing disaster preparedness information such as posters, flyers, and information related to the earthquake and tsunami vulnerability level.

"Hotels often do not provide safety briefings, hotels in earthquake-prone areas must inform guests to prepare them in case of a disaster,” Suci said. The last stage, said Suci, is ensuring that hotels and tourist attraction managers have access to BMKG’s updates.

Suci also emphasized the importance of multi-party involvement in mitigating the threat of megathrust. Indonesia has also adopted the International Standardization Organization (ISO) 22328 on security and emergency management.

"Every tourism manager and related parties can refer to ISO emergency management in drafting evacuation and disaster mitigation standards," said Suci.

NANDITO PUTRA

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