Disaster on Serasan Natuna Island
The landslide disaster on Serasan Island, Natuna Regency, Riau Archipelago, in early March caused more than 50 people to be buried and died. Disaster socialization including about landslides is important. Many people do not understand the signs that aftershocks will occur .
Wahyu Wilopo , a lecturer in Geological Engineering at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) said that a small landslide is a sign that aftershocks will occur, so residents should avoid that location .
Parid Ridwanuddin, Walhi's National Executive Coastal and Marine Campaign Manager , said that climate disasters such as Serasan Natuna are a threat to small islands and coastal areas in Indonesia.
Hasbi, Head of the Riau Islands Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), said the Riau Islands BPBD always socializes disaster events , but mostly on social media due to budget constraints. Hoping that district and city governments socialize disaster mitigation in their respective regions.
The landslide disaster on Serasan Island, Natuna Regency, Riau Archipelago, in early March caused more than 50 people to be buried and died. Disaster socialization including about landslides is important. Many people do not understand the signs that aftershocks will occur.
In that tragedy, at least 54 people and hundreds of houses were buried in landslides. As many as 50 victims were evacuated in a dead condition, four people have not been found until now.
Heavy rains in a row for two weeks in March caused the soil on the hillsides to weaken and landslides occurred.
Academics and environmental activists urge the government not only to categorize natural and non-natural disasters but climate disasters, especially on small islands.
That day, after the first and second landslides, residents flocked to clean the road. At the same time a large aftershock occurred. Residents who work together become victims.
"The search for victims has been stopped, the families of the victims who were not found have made up their minds," said Hasbi, to the Riau Islands Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), March 21, 2023.
He said, judging from the landslide victims on Serasan Island, Natuna was the most severe disaster since the Riau Islands.
Cause ?
Apart from heavy rainfall for 12 consecutive days, said Hasbi, there were suspicions of landslides because large forests on the hillsides had been cut down. "Indeed, we see large forests on hillsides being cut down, that's still from our layman's point of view," he said.
In fact, the large trees on the slopes function to resist erosion. Moreover, on Serasan Island it is very steep.
In the near future, the BPBD will analyze the cause of this landslide. We will ask geologists to examine the soil structure," said Hasbi.
Nowadays, people talk about disasters such as toothaches. They need to happen first and then find a cure. In fact, he said, President Joko Widodo had reminded him to take precautions.
Hasbi hopes that district and city governments will socialize disaster mitigation in their respective regions. "We have communicated with the OPD (regional apparatus organization) so that we are prepared for disasters, the disease earlier, a disaster is considered like a toothache."
BPBD Kepri, he said, always socializes disaster but mostly on social media due to budget constraints. Wahyu Wilopo, a lecturer in Geological Engineering at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) said that the results of observations of the hills in Serasan are a type of deep igneous (plutonic) rock. Plutonic rocks are actually known to be stronger than other types.
He suspected that there was intensive weathering of the rocks due to age. Weathering of the rock, he said, formed thick soil on the surface of the hill. “This makes the soil saturated and causes landslides," said Wahyu.
He said, typical landslides on steep slopes like this are very deadly in Indonesia. Serasan hillside height is estimated at 40 meters. Landslides occurred with great speed and reach to settlements.
Alert
According to Wahyu, small landslides are a sign that aftershocks will occur. Residents should have avoided landslides.
When the first landslide occurred, said Wahyu, the community could check at the source of the landslide whether or not there were signs that further landslides would occur.
Wahyu said that many of the severe landslides that occurred in Indonesia were like that, the victims died because of the aftershocks and the victims were working together. As happened in Brebes, Central Java, in Bandung, landslides in Pulonprogo, and others.
Once again, we have to make sure first, don't let the intention of helping, in the end we are the ones who are helped. This is a shared lesson, we need more massive outreach," he said.
Logically, a small landslide at the beginning could be a support for the soil above, but then the residents clean it up with mutual cooperation.
Wahyu said the misunderstanding of residents, especially residents of small islands such as in Serasan Natuna, caused many victims to fall. If this outreach reaches the community, he said, the impact on casualties and losses can also be minimized.
The lack of understanding of residents about disasters can also be seen from a misunderstanding about the trees on the hillsides. Many residents think that the shady trees on the hillsides are a sign that the hill is strong and will not collapse.
In fact, there are certain types of trees that are suitable and not for planting on hillsides. Trees, he said, had fibrous roots and heavy trunks to avoid being planted on hillsides. While the types that are useful for holding back landslides are trees with taproots.
Parid Ridwanuddin, Walhi's National Executive Coastal and Marine Campaign Manager, said that climate disasters such as Serasan Natuna are a threat to small islands and coastal areas in Indonesia.
Climate disaster, he said, is not a natural disaster, but a man-made disaster. Not only landslides, other climate disasters have also disrupted coastal communities, such as high waves, hurricanes, extreme rains, and rising sea levels.
Even though small islands are more vulnerable to climate disasters compared to large islands, the government does not currently have a road map for protecting small islands from climate disasters. "What the government has to offer is permits for mining, large-scale plantations on small islands, this is a big danger," said Parid.