Dionysius Siringoringo

Every year during the rainy season landslides pose a serious threat to many who live in mountainous areas of Java, Sumatra and several other islands. This year, we have already witnessed two tragic disasters caused by large scale landslides. Heavy rainfall combined with the misuse of land has triggered massive gravitational movements of debris and mud.

The recent toll from the landslides in Jember and Banjarnegara were particularly severe and tragic. However, even though these types of disaster continue to increase in terms of frequency and seriousness, little has been done to prevent, or even, mitigate the possibility.

There is a tendency to focus only on addressing immediate problems rather than anticipating new ones. To make matters worse, many people still merely put this disaster down to an “Act of God”, while in fact prevention of the landslide hazard is both scientifically possible and feasible.

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