Deputy for Disaster Prevention at the National Disaster Mitigation Agency of Indonesia Prasinta Dewi was quoted by local media as saying that mobile phones can be used for education, explaining that the agency has used social media applications, activating group chats on WhatsApp, and from there it can educate people.
Communication through social media and chat applications has become part of the strategy of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) of Indonesia to raise awareness of disaster prevention among communities living in cities.
Deputy for Disaster Prevention at BNPB, Prasinta Dewi was quoted by local media as saying that mobile phones can be used for education, explaining that the agency has used social media applications, activating group chats on WhatsApp, and from there it can educate people.
She emphasised that BNPB communicates disaster-related information by using language that is easy for the public to understand.
Another strategy carried out by BNPB is organising training in partnership with educational institutions and involving communities in the dissemination of disaster-related information. Community involvement includes forming volunteer teams or task forces.
Dewi stated that the BNPB will soon conduct regular evaluations of the information distribution on disaster prevention carried out with the public.
This evaluation can be conducted through surveys to measure the level of knowledge and awareness of the community about disasters.
The BNPB has also collaborated with international organisations such as the United Nations and non-governmental organisations to implement projects aimed at enhancing disaster prevention capabilities in vulnerable areas.
Disaster prevention infrastructure, including early warning systems, relief centres, and environmental protection structures, has also been invested in and improved. Additionally, community participation is encouraged, from planning to the implementation of response measures. This helps to strengthen solidarity and the community's ability to protect itself.
Since the beginning of 2025, extreme weather in Indonesia has resulted in 495 cases of flooding and landslides./.
VNA
