The Jakarta Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) together with the United States Agency for International Development – ​​Urban Communities for Resilient Action (USAID KUAT), launched three illustrated storybooks about earthquake disasters, Saturday (8/24).

The format is made communicative

As planned, the book launched at the HB Jasin Literature Documentation Center (PDS), Taman Ismail Marzuki, Central Jakarta, will be distributed to various schools and RPTRAs throughout Jakarta. This book can also be downloaded for free on the site bit.ly/pustakagempa.

Jakarta BPBD Secretary, Marulitua Sijabat said the book launched is a continuation of the storybook writing competition about earthquakes that his party held together with USAID KUAT, last March. It was printed in a pictorial and illustrative format.

"The format is made communicative so that elementary and junior high school children can easily understand it," he expressed.

He explained the three books were each titled Bola Tiwi written by Lina Herlina targeting elementary school children. Then the book titled Guncang-Guncang Ondel-Ondel written by Anang YB, targeted junior high school children, and the book titled Namaku Ancalan written by Lukito Goeyardi targeted high school children.

He hoped that these three books would further enrich education about disasters so that the community, especially elementary to high school students in Jakarta, would be more aware and prepared for disasters.

"Hopefully, the public, especially students, will care about reading this book because it is very good for increasing disaster awareness and preparedness for mitigation," he asserted.

USAID KUAT Deputy Director, Victor Rembeth explained a destructive earthquake in Jakarta could happen at any time. This is because Jakarta is surrounded by four earthquake faults (Megathrust, Lembang Fault, Cimandiri, and Baribis).

"All people need to know what to do when an earthquake occurs and this book can be used as a reference on how to take shelter," he stated.