IMPORTANCE OF EARLY INFORMATION IN EARTHQUAKE DISASTER RISK REDUCTION: LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE WEST SUMATRA EARTHQUAKE 2009

Abstract

Padang City is one city that has a high risk and prone to earthquake and tsunami because it is situated on three tectonic plates of the world and is the path of the Pacific ring of fire were frequent earthquakes. Under these conditions the government of Padang certainly need to take steps to mitigate the worst effects caused by the earthquake and tsunami. Learning from the experience of West Sumatra earthquake in 2009, At the time of the earthquake, people panicked, roads became jammed, and people do not know where to go because they do not get clear information about the earthquake occurred, whether or not a potential tsunami. To the question of dissemination of information at an early stage is important, the government needs to prepare facilities and infrastructure in the dissemination of information accurately, quickly and accurately at the time of the earthquake, so people do not panic and can direct them to the area more comfortable. Cooperation with various types of media and channeling information becomes important so that if disaster strikes and one media broke then there are still other media. Cooperation with radio, local television and especially mobile operators become an important point when disasters occur. Society must know this cooperation there. So that when disaster strikes they know where to find official information and trustworthy. All this is happening is an information vacuum, even for hours community haunted by uncertainty as to whether a tsunami is threatening or not, but should have half an hour already safe statement. For that, the local government needs to make a clear communication system to anticipate the impact of disasters that can give peace to the community when a disaster occurs. Information from an early age is important to provide information to the public as early as possible in order to reduce the impact of future disasters.