When news broke about the Mount Semeru eruption, most coverage focused on ash clouds, pyroclastic flows, and rising death tolls. But amid the chaos, one story stood out — that of a delivery worker who found himself running through darkness as volcanic ash swallowed entire villages.
Ardi’s story is not only a tale of survival. It is a reminder of a deeper truth: Indonesia’s most essential workers are often the least protected in moments of disaster.
The Hidden Vulnerability Behind “Essential Work”
Delivery workers, ride-hailing drivers, farmers, market sellers — these are the people who keep rural economies alive. Yet they often operate with little to no safety net. When Semeru erupted, Ardi was on the road because he had no choice. A day without deliveries means a day without income.
This is the cruel irony of informal labor:
the economy depends on them, but the system rarely shields them.
Disasters like Semeru expose that imbalance with brutal clarity.
Preparedness Is Not Just Sirens and Warning Maps
Indonesia is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. Sirens, evacuation signs, and hazard maps exist — but they are often inaccessible or irrelevant to informal workers who travel deeply into high-risk zones.
Should a delivery worker be expected to check volcanic activity every morning?
Should a courier earning $4–$6 a day bear the responsibility of interpreting seismic data?
Of course not.
Disaster preparedness must include clear communication for mobile workers, not just residents. There should be real-time alerts pushed to drivers’ apps, mandatory hazard briefings for workers who travel in disaster zones, and safety guidelines available in simple, practical language.
Without these, workers like Ardi are left to navigate deadly risks on their own.
Tech Companies and Employers Cannot Look Away
Courier and ride-hailing platforms benefit enormously from workers’ mobility — even in dangerous areas. But when disasters strike, their protocols are vague or nonexistent.
If a volcano erupts, should orders automatically cancel?
Should drivers be compensated for missed deliveries?
Should there be an emergency pause in high-risk districts?
These are questions companies must answer, not workers.
Platforms must implement disaster-stop buttons, hazard-based suspension of orders, and guaranteed emergency pay. Leaving it to individual drivers to “use their judgment” during an eruption is not only unrealistic — it is irresponsible.
Human Life Should Never Be an Afterthought
The Semeru eruption destroyed homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods. But the trauma carried by survivors like Ardi is something we rarely talk about. He returned to work weeks later — not because he was ready, but because he had to.
We praise resilience, but we rarely question the systems that make resilience a necessity instead of a choice.
The question is not why Ardi went back.
The question is: why did he have to?
A Call for Better Protection
Indonesia will continue to face volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods, and landslides. Disasters are inevitable.
The suffering of unprotected workers is not.
If we want a safer, fairer future, we must push for:
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real-time disaster alerts for mobile workers
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emergency income protection
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hazard-free zones enforced for delivery and ride-hailing routes
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mandatory training on disaster response
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clearer coordination between local governments and gig platforms
These steps are not luxuries. They are necessities.
Ardi Survived. Others Might Not.
Ardi’s escape was a miracle, but relying on miracles is not a disaster policy.
The next eruption will come — maybe in a year, maybe tomorrow. When it does, we cannot allow another delivery worker, farmer, or driver to run through ash clouds wondering if they will make it home.
People like Ardi keep Indonesia moving.
The least we can do is keep them safe.
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