[Unpad.ac.id, 3/10/2013] Disasters are very hard to predict. But, mitigating them can be taken in order to limit the number of losses. However, information on how to mitigate the impact of disasters has yet to be effectively informed due to language barrier.
“Pieces of research that have been done are always written in a very technical language that only experts can understand. Public at large find them hard to grasp. We should, therefore, change the strategy and use more practical language instead,” said Dr. Herryal Z. Anwar from the Research Center for Geotechnology, Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI) when speaking at the seminar on information on research on disaster dissemination in Jatinangor.
According to Anwar, there are 17 types of natural disasters that frequently take place in Indonesia. Disaster takes its toll because communities are still unaware of the danger that it may generate. People still reside in areas in which natural catastrophes might strike. Communication is therefore important to make them aware of the danger.
Representing Earth Observatory of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Jamie McCaughey, also speaking in the seminar, said that communication is often misconceived. This can only be taken care of by improving dialogues and assessing the effect of communication to increase the knowledge of the audience. One example would be the common knowledge that prior to Tsunami, extreme low tide takes place. This is incorrect information since low tide does not always indicate the inception of the disaster.
Lioni Beatrik, responding to the importance of communicating knowledge, argued that disseminating information can be done by analogizing natural disasters with smaller events that would take place in their life. “If you live in an area in which burglary often occurs, you have to know to maximize security at your home,” said she.
Besides Herryal Anwar, Jamie McCaughey, and Lioni Beatrik (IOM Jabar), also present as speakers were Dr. Ninis Agustini Damayani (Fikom Unpad), Dr. Lina Handayani (Geoteknologi LIPI), and Ganda Kristianto (International Organizational for Migration Jawa Barat).
