REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, YOGYAKARTA - Based on Indonesia Disaster Risk Index (IDRI), there are 396 high-risk disaster areas across the country, according to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. He made the statement at the opening of the 5th Asian ministerial meeting on disaster mitigation on Tuesday.

"Of the 494 disaster-prone areas in Indonesia, 396 are in the high-risk category," the head of state noted.

Therefore, President Yudhoyono said, local communities must be "better equipped to handle natural disasters". "We have a number of ways to strengthen the local capacity to manage natural disasters," he continued.

"Local capacity can be strengthened through at least six ways, namely village development, participation of all stakeholders, human resources capacity building, sufficient funds, coherence between national and local capacity, and integration of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation initiative," the President stated. 

"Whether we are ready or not, our capacity to respond to natural disasters is determined by those six factors," he said. 

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika