Indonesia has been urged to invest more in disaster research as the archipelago is among the most disaster-prone countries in the Asia Pacific region, which is the most vulnerable region in the world, reports the Jakarta Post.
Surono, a disaster expert at the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry, said disaster research in Indonesia was extremely limited. "Because there’s not enough research, Indonesians are often surprised when a volcano erupts in the country even though Indonesia has the largest number of volcanoes in the world,” he added.
"A fundamental rethink is needed as many governments still follow a short-sighted approach to disasters — with the focus on response, and paying less attention to adaptation, mitigation and preparedness,” said Shamshad Akhtar, UN under-secretary-general and executive secretary of ESCAP.