A natural hazard cannot be avoided and can happen in every part of the
world. Combining with the vulnerability of the area, this hazard can turn into a
disaster which causes great losses and damages. To reducing these impacts, a
disaster management is needed. This process can be very complicated due to the
complexity of the cases. One of the most complex cases in disaster management is
Indonesia, which experienced one of the most recent catastrophic natural disasters
in world: the Aceh tsunami.
To reach the objective of the research, which is to define what natural
disaster management strategy can be applied for Indonesia coastal area -
specifically in the case of Aceh tsunami - based on theory and practice, a literature
review is conducted. The literature review functions to picture the shifts in
disaster management, both in theoretical perspective and also in the Aceh
provincial spatial plan (practical perspective). Moreover, it will explore basic
strategies in disaster management which with another results of the literature
review are used to gather experts’ opinion on disaster management strategy for
Aceh by using Delphi Method.
For the disaster management strategy, this research is adopting Oosterberg
et al. disaster management strategy and adjusting it to tsunami disaster
management. The strategies becomes keep tsunami away from urban area (for
tsunami hazard reduction), prepare urban areas for tsunami (for tsunami
vulnerability reduction), and keep urban areas away from tsunami (for tsunami
exposure reduction).
Theoretically, the disaster management shifts from response management
towards risk management which emphasis on vulnerability reduction. This
management asked for more pro-active measures by implementing
multidisciplinary approach and involving partnerships in the institutional
framework. It also requires community participation on the planning process and
continuous communication with communities. Connecting this shift with the
disaster management strategy, ‘prepare urban area for tsunami’ is the most ideal
strategy in the disaster management. This strategy even promoted through Hyogo
Framework which focusing on reducing vulnerability and increasing resilience.
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Practically, after the tsunami on December 24, 2004 there is a major
change in the disaster management in Indonesia which also influences the Aceh
spatial plan draft: the disaster management becomes one of the focuses in the
spatial plan. Before, the disaster management was ignored and did not mentioned
at all in the spatial plan. ‘Prepare urban area for tsunami’ strategy is adopted to
reduce the vulnerability of the area. The implementation of this strategy also
combines with ‘keep tsunami away from urban area’ strategy. Sea walls are built
and coastal vegetations (mangrove, coral reef, and sea grass) are planted or
rehabilitated so that they can function as coastal green belt.
Based on the strategies identified in the literature review (theoretical and
practical), a Delphi questionnaire is sent to some experts related to the disaster
management in Aceh. The Delphi survey finds that most of the respondents
choose ‘prepare urban area for tsunami’ strategy as the most suitable strategy to
be applied in Aceh. This result is in line with the findings on theoretical and
empirical review as explained before. Moreover, this strategy is also already
applied in Aceh now even though the result is still not satisfying most of the
experts.
As conclusion, the natural disaster management strategy that can be
applied for Indonesia coastal area - specifically in the case of Aceh tsunami -
based on theory and practice is ‘prepare urban area for tsunami’. However, the
‘prepare urban area for tsunami’ strategy cannot be implemented alone without
the help of the other two strategies. These three strategies must be combined to
reach maximum goals, both for short and long term.
This research also recommends four things to be considered in
implementing the disaster management in Aceh and guidelines for the future
research. First, using the big influence of Islamic value in Aceh for the
information spreading and planning process. Second, increasing public
involvement in the arrangement of disaster management. Third, reminding the
Acehnese to their local value and wisdom. The last, for future research, a broader
scope of research by involving some lesson-learned from other countries in the
literature review is suggested.