Sumatra’s Disaster Exposes How Unprepared We Still Are

 The rising death toll in Sumatra—now surpassing 900 lives lost—should force us to confront a difficult truth: Indonesia remains dangerously unprepared for disasters we already know will continue to happen. Every year, we speak of “natural disasters” as if nature alone is at fault. Yet the scale of destruction we are seeing today is not solely the result of rain or shifting soil. It is the outcome of long-term neglect, weak preparedness, and development patterns that repeatedly put communities in harm’s way.

For decades, experts have warned that Sumatra’s river basins, hillsides, and coastal areas are at high risk for extreme flooding and landslides. But warnings mean little without action. Illegal deforestation continues to thin out natural barriers. Poor drainage systems remain clogged year after year. And as cities expand, homes are built in zones that environmental studies have clearly labeled unsafe. When heavy rains arrive, disaster is no longer a question of if, but when—and how bad.

Government agencies are working tirelessly on rescue and recovery, and their commitment deserves recognition. But heroic efforts in the aftermath cannot replace the prevention that should come before the storm. The cost of rebuilding—estimated in the billions—is a heavy burden that could be reduced dramatically by investing in stronger mitigation systems: upstream reforestation, modern flood-control infrastructure, real-time early warning systems, and strict enforcement of zoning and environmental regulations.

Yet disaster preparedness is not only the responsibility of the government. Communities, too, must be part of the solution. Local leaders should ensure that residents understand early warning signs, evacuation routes, and safe zones. Schools must include disaster education as a core competency, not an optional program that fades after the emergency passes. Civil society organizations and scientists must be involved in long-term planning, not merely consulted after tragedy strikes.

The disaster in Sumatra should be more than a headline. It should be a turning point. We cannot allow the same cycle of loss—flood, landslide, fear, panic, rebuild, forget—to happen again. Indonesia is a nation prone to disasters, but we do not have to be a nation defined by them. Preparedness is not an abstract concept; it is a moral obligation to protect lives before they are lost.

If we fail to learn from this tragedy, then the next disaster will not be a surprise—it will be a consequence.