Day: February 4, 2022

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Denpasar closes public facilities amid COVID-19 spread

The Denpasar city government in Bali Province has once again closed public facilities in response to a rise in COVID-19 cases.

“COVID-19 cases in Denpasar City have increased significantly in the past week. To curb the spread of the virus, the Arga Coka soccer field in Sesetan Village, South Denpasar Sub-district as a public facility has been closed for a while,” Sesetan Village Head Putu Wisnu Wardana said while closing the soccer field on Friday.

To close the soccer field, the village administration coordinated with village supervisory non-commissioned officers (Babinsa), police’s security and public order officers (Bhaninkamtimbas), and the Sesetan customary village and Sesetan COVID-19 task force, he said.

“The temporary closure of public facilities has been directed by Denpasar Mayor Jaya Negara to contain the spread of COVID-19. Based on the directive, learning will be conducted online and public facilities will remain closed temporarily,” he added.

Wardana said the soccer field will be closed indefinitely. Public facilities will be reopened when the curve of COVID-19 cases in Denpasar flattens and comes under control, he informed.

“To prevent a spike (in COVID-19 cases), we call on the public not to be inattentive. The application of health protocol discipline is mandatory. Don’t be inattentive. Let us support each other and synergize to handle this pandemic,” he urged.

Source: Antara News

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Mount Anak Krakatau erupts nine times in one day

Mount Anak Krakatau erupted nine times on Friday, acting head of the Center for Disaster Data, Information, and Communication of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Abdul Muhari, informed.

In a written statement received here on Friday, he said that the Mitigation Center for Volcanology and Geological Disasters (PVMBG) recorded nine eruptions at 9:43 a.m., 10:25 a.m., 10:28 a.m., 12:46 p.m., 1:00 p.m., 1:31 p.m., 1:41 p.m., 2:46 p.m. and 5:07 p.m. Western Indonesia Standard Time (WIB).

The volcano ejected thick greyish black ash columns, which rose about 800-1,000 meters above the peak, he added.

Based on PVMBG’s visual monitoring, the eruptions were believed to be magmatic – in accordance with the occurrence of volcanic earthquakes, he informed.

The volcano has shown seismic activity since January 16, 2022, in the form of volcanic and surface earthquakes, which indicate a gradual intrusion of magma from beneath the Earth’s surface, he explained.

“The visual and instrumental monitoring data indicate that Mount Anak Krakatau still has the potential to erupt,” the BNPB official said.

Currently, the potential danger from the volcano located in the Sunda Strait includes the flow of incandescent lava, pyroclastic materials, and lava, he added.

In addition, heavy ash rain could potentially occur around the crater, within a radius of 2 kilometers (km), he forecast. Meanwhile, thinner ash rain may cover a wider area depending on the direction and speed of the wind, he added.

“Currently, the activity level of Mount Anak Krakatau is set at Level 2 (Watch). Thus, people are appealed not to perform any activities within a 2-km radius of the crater,” Muhari said.

He urged the public to comply with the recommendations and directives issued by the PVMBG and other competent authorities.

BNPB also asked the public not to be influenced by hoaxes regarding the activities of the volcano.

Source: Antara News

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Committed to increasing independence of maritime sector: PBNU

The executive board of the Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) for the 2022–2027 period has emphasized its commitment to improving community welfare by supporting the independence of the maritime sector.

“We want to increase independence in all economic sectors by providing concrete solutions to build the marine world, including for fishermen,” PBNU Chairman H Umarsyah said in Labuan Bajo on Friday.

He made the statement at a press conference on celebrations for the 96th anniversary of the NU (Harlah), which will be held in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

One of the Harlah activities involved a direct visit to a group of fishermen assisted by NU in Warloka Village, Komodo District, West Manggarai, as a form of synergy between NU and the Indonesian Government through the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, he informed.

In the maritime economy, there is still no balance between the fishing and aquaculture sectors, he said. The capture fisheries sector has not yet fully received government support, such as capital and technological transformation, he underlined.

Fishermen have also not been able to access bank credit schemes to build production facilities in the aquaculture sector, he added.

In addition to minimal capital, the facilities and infrastructure owned by fishermen are also inadequate, Umarsyah said. This can be seen from the condition of fish auction places (TPIs), which do not support the productivity of fishermen, he added.

As a result, the quality of fish produced by fishermen is unable to compete in the national and international markets, he said.

There is also no trading system for marine fish that favors fishermen, so the price is determined by buyers unilaterally, he pointed out. There has been no affirmative policy from the government that could answer the fishermen’s problems, he added.

To help the sector overcome these problems, PBNU will provide assistance in terms of capital, technological transformation, skills improvement training, and partnership mediation, namely through models that bring entrepreneurs in the marine sector and fishermen together, he said.

Meanwhile, Nasyirul Falah Amru, another chairman in the PBNU central executive board, said that the board is not only talking about running the program, but also carrying out activities focused on the community.

PBNU is concerned about the maritime sector because the fishing community is still marginalized, he explained.

A concrete step to help the sector has been realized by PBNU through the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the board, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, he said.

“PBNU took direct action to give enthusiasm and spirit to the community,” he remarked.

Source: Antara News

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