13 Kinds of Disaster are Common in Indonesia

Disaster is a phenomenon that can cause enormous impact toward human life. Although it is commonly happen in Indonesia, you couldn’t avoid them and stop them, you can only prevent the disaster from causing a severe recurrence. There are two kinds of disasters, the natural disaster in Indonesia and the disaster made by human.  Both of those disasters in Indonesia could give the death potential impact. Those are kinds of disaster are common in Indonesia.

1. Volcano Eruption

The first natural disaster is the volcano eruption. In Indonesia, this disaster has been so familiar since it is a country with a lot of active mountains.  One of them is the Merapi volcano located in Special Region Yogyakarta. Volcano eruption usually occurs due to the deposit of magma which stored in the bowels of the earth.

Then it pushed out by a gas that has high pressure. Mount eruptions is categorized as the most hazardous disaster in Indonesia. However, volcanic eruption can be detected in accordance with magma activity that is in the bowels of the earth. So it can be anticipated before the disaster occurred. (Read also: Highest Mountain in Indonesia)

2. Flood

Flood is a common disaster that has been familiar for every society of Indonesia. It is because there are some areas which always flooded every year. One of the either large or medium scales that always become the target for the flood is Jakarta city.

Flood that now often occurs is no longer because of nature conditions anymore, but it is caused by the human habit toward the environment.  It might be the result of deforestation, river full of garbage, and blocked drainage system. (Read also: How to Avoid Flood in Jakarta)

3. Earthquake

Earthquake is one of the natural disasters caused by the vibrations that occur on the surface of the earth. The cause of this natural disaster is the release of energy coming from within the earth that suddenly produces seismic waves.

Usually this wave occurs due to the shift of the earth’s crust or slab on the earth. Earthquake is one of the most dangerous and most devastating disasters. However, the occurrence is only in certain places only, especially areas passed by the earth plate fracture. Unfortunately, Indonesia is considered as the large area that passed with this plate.

Read also:

• Historical Earthquakes in Indonesia
• Biggest Earthquakes in Indonesia

4. Tsunami

The definition of tsunami in general is the massive displacement of sea water caused by changes from the ocean surface vertically which suddenly moving inland. This enormous sea waves occur due to several natural factors such as earthquakes that occur under the sea, landslides under the sea, or explosions or eruptions that occur under the sea.

The power of this tsunami is truly remarkable. It can destroy anything that passes. The last of big tsunami in Indonesia happened in Aceh 2004. (Read also: History of Tsunami Cave in Aceh)

5. Typhoon

The next natural disaster is typhoon. This disaster is like a very spinning wind which moves straight follows the direction of the wind. The impact of typhoon is extraordinary. It is because this disaster is capable of destroying the area that passed. In some places in Indonesia especially in the lowlands that is far from the hills. Indonesian usually calls typhoon with angin putting beliung.

6. Forest Fires

Forest fires are a very difficult kind of disaster to overcome. It would be more dangerous when the fire has already enlarged. It happens due to flame the fire in a field that full of grass or flammable plants that are difficult to extinguish. Forest fires caused by natural factors can occur due to lightning strikes or a friction between plants during the dry season. The next factor is that caused by irresponsible humans. This commonly happens in Indonesia, especially in Sumatra.

Read also:

• Effects of Deforestation in Indonesia
• Deforestation in Indonesia
• Wildfire in Indonesia

7. Landslide

The landslide often caused many victims. Landslide happens when the soil descends from a high place to a lower place. Usually this disaster would fall down to the settlements that located under the cliff. Landslides also often cause rocks, trees, sand and cliffs that carried away. It would destroy anything that passed.

Erosion caused by rivers and seas can make rocks in the cliffs become weak due to heavy rain. Sometimes, earthquakes can also create landslides. It also often occurs due to human activities which are greedy. They cut down trees carelessly without knowing the effect toward the environment.

8. Drought

This disaster occurs where a region is lack of water source for a very long time. It is due to the climate changes when there is no rain at all for long time. It could also happen since the extremely hot temperatures which resulting the excessive evaporation. This drought has commonly happen in Indonesia several times, especially in the savannah or somewhat away from the tropical climate.

9. Global warming

The next natural disaster is a global warming. It occurs due to the rising of average temperatures from Earth’s atmosphere. This is the effect of the beginnings of greenhouses and the use of irresponsible technology that causes excessive air pollution which can disrupt the gas arrangement on our earth.

Some ways to prevent the global warming are reducing the use of plastic waste, conserving forests, using public transportation, not using AC (air conditioner), and many other.

10. Tropical Storm

The next disaster is a tropical storm disaster. This natural disaster commonly happens in Indonesia at least twice a year. Contrary to the natural disasters of tornadoes, these natural disasters usually occur due to low pressure air gathering in a particular area.

Tropical cyclones that occur will produce a very strong wind velocity in one point. The wind speed in this tropical storm can reach speeds of 128 km/h. This tropical storm generally occurs in sea water waters. This natural disaster will also create a substantial storm. Then, the sea water will rise on the surface along the coastal environment where the tropical storm is taking place.

11. Epidemic disease

Indonesia has been invaded by some dangerous viruses which caused many people infected, even died quickly. This epidemic disease made Indonesia really slumped in the past. They keep trying to get this horrible disease to disappear quickly.

However, the movement of the virus is much faster than the government effort to heal and avoid the risk of death. The epidemic disease that invaded in Indonesia is like diphtheria, measles, polio, and many others. (Read also: Diseases in Indonesia)

12. Transportation Accident

Transportation accident is commonly happen in Indonesia. So many transportation accidents in Indonesia happened without any significant improvement. Most of these accidents sometimes caused by nature, however sometimes it happens due to human negligence that use the bad condition of the transportation.

The transportation accident could happen in the land, air, even the sea. One of the severe transportation accident happened in 1982 when the two of national trains hit each other in Bintaro Jakarta. In this accident, at least 192 people death.

13. Bomb Blasting

The case of terrorism in Indonesia is not such an issue. This disaster that created by human commonly happens in Indonesia. In a year, the terrorism using bomb could happen many times. The Bali Bomb 1 that occurred in 2002 was a series of three continuous bombing incidents that occurred on the evening of October 12, 2002.

It was the most severe bomb blasting in Indonesia. Some sources recorded at least 202 persons dead and about 209 people injured. Most of the victims are foreign tourists who are visiting the location of the tourist attractions.

Those are the kinds of disaster are common in Indonesia. All of these disasters are unpredictable. They could happen anytime in a sudden. However, don’t worry because some of the disasters above just occur in a certain are of Indonesia. That is why you need to take a good care of yourself while visiting Indonesia. Follow the rules, and always see the forecast before going out.