FMIPA UI Academics Hold Tsunami Disaster Mitigation Education for Residents in Lebak, Banten

In recent months, a number of earth experts have been studying the possibility of an earthquake and tsunami disaster. megathrust in the South Java region. This disaster is predicted to be a terrible disaster and can occur at any time. These studies indirectly serve as a warning for people in the South Java region to increase their insight and awareness regarding earthquakes and tsunamis, including how to mitigate and evacuate them.

With this background, the FMIPA UI community service team from the Geology and Geophysics Study Program consisting of a lecturer and 8 students held a socialization and education activity on tsunami disaster risks in Sukatani Village, Banten on December 28-29, 2020.

"The socialization that we are doing aims to increase the level of public awareness of the risk of tsunami disaster in Sukatani Village, as well as provide education on mitigation steps that must be taken and prepared in the event of a tsunami disaster," explained Maryadi, M.Eng., a lecturer at FMIPA UI and team leader.

The Sukatani Village community, Maryadi continued, most of them do not understand how close the possibility of this disaster is to them, so they often feel panicked when the disaster occurs. Maryadi assessed that the studies that have been echoed so far have not fully reached those who are in the areas at risk of being affected. In fact, according to him, disaster response insight must be possessed by every citizen as a provision in saving themselves and their families so that the number of fatalities can be reduced.

"We think it is important for the public to get information about this, as well as the steps that must be taken when a tsunami disaster occurs so as not to panic and to be able to reduce the number of fatalities," added Maryadi.

In its implementation, the community service team displays various research results, internal studies and general research that have been published as socialization materials through roadshow in several RTs in Sukatani Village while still practicing health protocols.

The team's efforts received positive responses and appreciation from local officials. Abu Toyib as the Secretary of Sukatani Village said, "We are very grateful to the UI team for the very useful activities, residents here are now able to better understand the signs and identify the arrival of a tsunami, although of course we do not expect a tsunami to occur later, but at least with this mitigation, residents are expected to be able to take the right steps to save themselves when a disaster comes suddenly."