Indonesia enters 2021 with "abnormal" natural disasters by Fardah

  As a country located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, Indonesia is prone to natural disasters such as volcano eruption, earthquake, and tsunami, and hence its residents must be prepared for that.

Moreover, the world’s largest archipelagic country is strategically located between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, that could induce extreme wet (La Nina) or dry seasons (El Nino) weather and ocean-related phenomena that could trigger flooding, drought and forest fires.

One of the worst disasters hitting Indonesia in modern history was the deadly tsunami which devastated Aceh Province and Nias Island (North Sumatra Province) on December 26, 2004, which killed around 200,000 people and rendered about one million others homeless. The tsunami was triggered by a powerful 8.9-magnitude earthquake.

In addition, since March 2020, Indonesia has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that has infected a total of 1,134,854 people and claimed 31,202 lives as of February 6, 2021. World-widely, nearly 106 million people have been infected by, and over 2.3 million others succumbed to the pandemic, which had never been predicted.

While entering 2021, Indonesia has to face other natural disasters besides the COVID-19 pandemic.

The country had been stricken by a total of 197 natural disasters during the January 1-23 period, according to data of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

Most of those disasters were hydrometeorological disasters comprising 134 floods, 31 landslides, and 24 whirlwinds, that had claimed 184 lives, injured, 2,700 people, rendered nine people missing, and affected or displaced 1.9 million others.

Compared to January 2020, during the same period, BNPB recorded 297 disasters affecting across Indonesia, particularly massive flooding in Jakarta and surrounding areas, and claiming 91 lives.

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has warned of likely hydrometeorological disasters such as floods, landslides and whirlwind, occurring simultaneously in several regions during the peak of the ongoing rainy season, which usually begins in September or October and ends in March or April.

"Since October 2020, the BMKG has issued early warnings of potential extreme weather-related conditions due to various phenomena that are feared to coincide with the rainy season," BMKG Head Dwikorita Karnawati said recently.

PIDIE JAYA EARTHQUAKE BRINGS BACK MEMORIES OF 2004 TSUNAMI by Fardah

Jakarta, Dec 12, 2016 (Antara) - While many people were asleep, a strong shallow earthquake rocked Pidie Jaya and neighboring districts in Aceh Province, at 5:03 a.m. local time, on Dec 7.

        Following the tremor, they rushed out of their buildings and tried to reach higher ground, as the quake was felt strongly and had raised memories of the deadly tsunami that had devastated Aceh in December 2004. One of the locals even said she felt the earthquake had been stronger than that of 2004.

        However, this time, there was no tsunami after the tremor, which the US Geological Survey said struck just offshore at a depth of 8km.

         Indonesia's Meteorological, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported that the epicenter of the 6.5-magnitude earthquake was at 5.19 degrees northern latitude and 96.36 degrees eastern longitude, at a depth of 10km on land, some 18km northeast of Pidie Jaya, or 106km southeast of Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh Province.

         BMKG said the quake's intensity was a VII-VIII MMI (Marcelli Modified Intensity) in Pidie Jaya.

         It also recorded 74 aftershocks that were felt by inhabitants of the districts of Pidie Jaya, Pidie, Aceh Besar, Sabang, Bireun, and Lhokseumawe.

          The tremors have traumatized locals who are reluctant to stay indoors.

         A total of 103 deaths have been confirmed so far. Some 8 thousand inhabitants were seriously or slightly injured in the disaster, and they were evacuated to receive medical treatment.

GET USED TO EARTHQUAKES BUT REMAIN ALERT By Fardah

Jakarta, Oct. 29, 2009 (ANTARA) - First Lady Ani Yudhoyono has reminded the people that due to its geography, Indonesia is vulnerable to disasters and therefore they must be prepared for that.

"We must become used to it and always be alert," she said here on Wednesday when officially opening a Women`s International Club (WIC) charity bazaar.

The warning is necessary as Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," the edge of a tectonic plate which is prone to seismic upheavals.

WORLD SHOWS SOLIDARITY OVER WEST SUMATRA EARTHQUAKE By Fardah

Jakarta, Oct. 3, 2009 (ANTARA) - Indonesia once again witnesses the world solidarity continuously flowing to West Sumatra following a deadly magnitude-7.6 earthquake which rocked the province last Sept. 30.

At least 600 people were killed and thousands were still trapped under rubble in the West Sumatra earthquake which destroyed thousands of buildings.

The world had previously demonstrated generous solidarity when Indonesia`s Aceh Province and Nias Island were devastated by a gigantic tsunami on December 2004, Yogyakarta and some parts of Central Java were leveled by VI-VII MMI-earthquake in May 2006.

TSUNAMI SURVIVORS ACCEPT FATE WITH GREAT ENDURANCE by Fardah

     Jakarta, July 19, 2006 (ANTARA) - A magnitude 8.9 earthquake and subsequent tsunami which devastated Aceh and Nias (North Sumatra) on December 26, 2004, caused almost unbearable grief and suffering among the population. Many people were kiled or went missing while survivors had to cope with injuries, or the loss of loved ones or property.
     The deadly tsunami from the Indian Ocean killed around 168,000 people in Indonesian western-most province of Aceh and Nias (North Sumatra), rendered almost one million people homeless and destroyed around 80 percent of infrastructures in the worst-hit areas. Some 130,000 people were believed still missing due to the huge waves.

Doomsday in Indonesia by Hani Mumtazah

Jakarta, January 18, 2005 (Islam Online - IOL) - The weather was quite fine on the morning of Sunday, December 26, 2004, in Meulaboh, Aceh, Indonesia’s northern-most province. It was almost 8.00 a.m. local time. Suddenly, a strong earthquake measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale shocked the inhabitants. 

When the quake calmed down, the people were amazed to see that the water had drawn back as far as 500 meters from the coastline. The newly exposed area was sandy and full of floundering fish.