VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The National Disaster  Mitigation Agency (BNPB) reported 68 natural disasters that affected several  parts of Indonesia  in the first week of January  2022.

Based on data received from the agency here on Sunday, these natural disasters were hydrometeorological disasters such as floods, landslides, extreme weather, forest and land fires and tidal waves.

Floods were the most frequent disasters recorded at 38, followed by 16 extreme weather events, 12 landslides, and one forest and land fire as well as tidal wave.

All of these natural disasters left seven people dead, 15 people injured, and 140,620 others affected and displaced.

Meanwhile, 528 houses were  damaged by the disasters, of which 46 were heavily damaged, 72 were moderately damaged and 410 others suffered minor damage. The  natural disasters also caused damage to three educational facilities, six places of worship, and one health facility.

Head of BNPB Lt. Gen. Suharyanto previously appealed to all parties to increase resilience in dealing with natural and non-natural disasters.

Besides members of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Suharyanto also asked community leaders, religious leaders, and tbusiness actors as well as the media to increase this resilience.

"Let's work together to increase Indonesia's resilience in dealing with natural and non-natural disasters," he said.

Suharyanto said Indonesia is located in the world's volcanic belt flanked by two oceanic and continental plates, thereby making Indonesia's volcanic tectonic and hydrometeorological activity the highest in the world. (Antaranews)