Jakarta – Indonesia has witnessed 1,928 disasters in 2020 so far, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has reported.
"We had recorded a total of 1,928 disasters across the country as of Aug. 30," BNPB spokesman Raditya Jati said on Monday as reported by kompas.com.
The disasters comprise 12 earthquakes, five volcanic eruptions, 256 forest fires, 16 droughts, 726 floods, 367 landslides, 521 tornadoes and 24 tidal waves and cases of coastal erosion, as well as the COVID-19 outbreak.
According to Raditya, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Indonesia had recorded fewer disasters than in 2019.
"Compared to January to August 2019, we saw a 27 percent decrease in the number of disasters," he said.
The number of deaths and missing people is also down 43.1 percent from last year, he added.
The agency has also recorded a 25.6 percent decrease in the number of displaced individuals and a 22 percent decrease in damaged settlements.
Raditya said the drop may be owed to the public's deeper understanding of natural hazards.
"It may also be thanks to improved infrastructure and better environmental conditions," he said. (nal)