Introduction:
An immensely destructive earthquake and tsunami occurred on September 28, 2018, in Sulawesi, an Indonesian island. This event led to an unparalleled humanitarian crisis. Subsequently, the island had a seismic event of significant magnitude, marking a pivotal moment in its history.
Facts of the Case:
Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi region experienced a 7.5-magnitude earthquake, leading to the tsunami that destroyed Palu and Donggala coastal towns (Goda et al., 2019). After approximately 4,300 lives were lost, the aftermath showed a devastating number of human deaths, destroying families and communities. Healthcare systems around the world were burdened with over 10,00 people’s trauma, which was so huge. The critical infrastructure was demolished in the destruction that surpassed human casualties. Thousands of homes razed to the ground, hospitals knocked out, and highways blasted open were obstacles that impeded the fast delivery of help. The already weak economy of this region was further stressed by the enormous cost of recovery and restoration, which is claimed to have gone above $90 million.
Epidemiological Aspects of the Event:
The epidemiological investigations conducted after disasters mainly aim to investigate the health effects on survivors and risk factors. In their detailed retrospective analyses, Rumble et al. (2018) used a dataset incorporating interviews, population surveys, and medical records. The association between pre-existing health conditions and the increased death rates demanded measures of association as relative risk (RR). Researchers highlighted the need for careful data analysis to ensure accurate epidemiological assessment when indicating potential biases, including selection bias in surveys performed after disasters.
Management of the Event:
The public health emergency crisis that followed the earthquake in Indonesia was challenging to respond to because of how massive and isolated the affected areas were (Pribadi et al., 2021). In the face of an urgent need for medical personnel, it was evident that there were more planning concerns to be addressed, especially in coordinating relief. This illustrates that better disaster relief coordination is possible through early warning systems and robust infrastructure. The health care centers at the local level and their coordination systems were reinforced to gain knowledge from this disaster and enhance responsiveness.
Communications for the Event:
The remote location disadvantaged communication during the response to the earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia (Angove et al., 2019). There is a need for coordination of humanitarian actions and implementation processes; hence, immediate relief for flood-affected communities shall be provided while that process goes on. Challenges of local and foreign organizations have shown the need for steady networks that help swiftly address emergencies. This situation should have resulted in better disaster management by making proper communication more evident during a crisis.
Summarize:
The seismic events and subsequent tsunami in Indonesia in 2018 highlighted the critical need for proactive readiness and timely interventions to protect public health in vulnerable regions (Mavrouli et al., 2023). This narrative catalyzes minimizing the repercussions of such disasters by advocating for improved infrastructure, optimal resource allocation to early warning systems, and strengthened collaborative mechanisms. Recognizing and addressing communication challenges is imperative to enhance the efficiency of responses to catastrophic events. In light of these considerations, fostering international collaboration and fortifying national disaster response capabilities becomes essential, working collectively to enhance the resilience of areas prone to vulnerability.
References
- Angove, M., Arcas, D., Bailey, R., Carrasco, P., Coetzee, D., Fry, B., … & Schindelé, F. (2019). Ocean observations are required to minimize uncertainty in global tsunami forecasts, warnings, and emergency response. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6, 350.
- Goda, K., Mori, N., Yasuda, T., Prasetyo, A., Muhammad, A., & Tsujio, D. (2019). Cascading geological hazards and risks of the 2018 Sulawesi Indonesia earthquake and sensitivity analysis of tsunami inundation simulations. Frontiers in Earth Science, 7, 261.
- Mavrouli, M., Mavroulis, S., Lekkas, E., & Tsakris, A. (2023). The impact of earthquakes on public health: A narrative review of infectious diseases in the post-disaster period aiming to disaster risk reduction. Microorganisms, 11(2), 419.
- Pribadi, K. S., Abduh, M., Wirahadikusumah, R. D., Hanifa, N. R., Irsyam, M., Kusumaningrum, P., & Puri, E. (2021). Learning from past earthquake disasters: The need for knowledge management system to enhance infrastructure resilience in Indonesia. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 64, 102424.
- Rumble, L., Ramly, A. A., Nuryana, M. M., & Dunne, M. P. (2018). The importance of contextual factors in carrying out childhood violence surveys: A case study from Indonesia. Child indicators research, 11(2), 405-421.
write