Indonesia needs earthquake-proof houses.

A deadly earthquake that reduced buildings to rubble in West Java, Indonesia

has once again exposed the dangers of living in poorly built homes in one of
the most seismically active zones on the planet. Since Monday’s quake,
survivors have been sleeping rough or in shelters away from homes vulnerable
to collapse as aftershocks rattle buildings already compromised by the 5.9-
magnitude quake that killed at least 310 people, according to the head of
country’s National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB). A further 24
people remain missing, Lieutenant General Suharyanto said Friday. The shallow
depth of the earthquake – just 10 kilometers (6 miles) – added to the pressure
on structures across West Java, where more than a million people were
exposed to very strong tremors, according to the United States Geological
Survey (USGS). Visiting the site on Tuesday, Indonesian President Joko Widodo
promised that damaged homes – more than 56,000 of them – would be rebuilt
to be earthquake-resistant. “The houses affected by this earthquake are
required to use earthquake-resistant building standards by the Minister of
Public Works and Public Housing,” he said. “These earthquakes happen every
20 years. So the houses should be earthquake-resistant.” But in a developing
nation where about 43% of the population live in rural areas, in largely unsafe
and poorly constructed homes, the task of making earthquake-resistant
buildings remains a huge challenge. As of Thursday, more than 61,000 people
were displaced, according to the National Agency for Disaster Management
(BNPB) – and experts say the damage could have been mitigated by proper
infrastructure.

a. What is the issue?

Building them is a huge challenge A deadly earthquake that reduced buildings to rubble in
West Java, Indonesia has once again exposed the dangers of living in poorly built homes in
one of the most seismically active zones on the planet
b. Who produce it?

National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB)

c. For whom is it produced? Why?

for the whole people, especially for people affected by the earthquake. shortage of earthquake
resistant buildings in Indonesia
d. How is it being presented?

Exposed the dangers of living in poorly built homes in one of the most seismically
active zones on the planet.

e. Which part do you like? Why?

“The houses affected by this earthquake are required to use earthquake-resistant building
standards by the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing,” he said. I chose that sentence,
because to anticipate damage to houses affected by the earthquake, the government requires
people to build houses with earthquake-resistant standards.

f. What is the text trying to do to you?

To tells the earthquake that occurred in West Java, the dangers of houses with weak buildings, and
the number of victims affected by the earthquake. The President promised to rebuild the houses
damaged by the earthquake

g. Is it relevant to you? Why?

Yes it’s relevant for me, because I now know the dangers of houses that cannot withstand
earthquakes, especially now that it's earthquake season

h. Whose voices and positions are not being expressed?

The government in west java because now for example in Cianjur they face the nearly impossible
task of rebuilding.

i. What was not said about the topic? Why?

About the strategy and how to facing the truth that Indonesia has a bad building structures.
Indonesian government is even still confused about how to evacuate and rebuild buildings that have
collapsed because they were not built to withstand earthquakes so that until now if an earthquake
occurs and causes damage the government still does not have a proper and right solution.

Indonesia’s frequent quakes

Indonesia, an archipelago nation of more than 270 million people, sits along the Ring of Fire
– a band around the Pacific Ocean where most active volcanoes lie and most earthquakes
happen as tectonic plates push against each other, causing tremors. Of the 310 people killed
in Monday’s quake, at least 100 were children, many of whom were in school when the
quake struck. A 6-year-old boy was pulled alive from the rubble of his home two days later,
but many others weren’t so lucky. The quake shook the foundations of buildings, causing
the concrete structures to collapse and roofs to cave in. Photos showed broken scraps of
metal, timber and bricks. Most of the people killed were crushed or trapped beneath debris,
according to West Java’s governor, Ridwan Kamil. Others were killed in landslides. Cleo
Gaida Salima said when she heard about the quake, she tried to phone her mother in
Cugenang, Cianjur, but when she failed to answer, she decided to drive there from her
home in Bandung by motorbike. The journey – about 65 kilometers (40 miles) – usually
takes less than two hours. But with roads completely blocked by landslides, it took her 24.
“All the houses were covered with dirt and mud,” she said, adding that she was reunited
with her family who survived the quake. “We all cried with emotion and happiness,” she
said. “Our whole family immediately ran out to save themselves. The earthquake was very
strong.” In Indonesia, houses were traditionally constructed from organic building materials
including timber, bamboo and thatched grasses, owing to the hot and humid climate in the
country. These were considered to be sustainable homes, and largely durable in the event of
an earthquake. However, increased deforestation and the high cost of timber led people to
choose alternative materials, according to a 2009 study about post-disaster reconstruction
in Indonesia from The Architectural Science Association. More and more homes were built
of brick and concrete, and while the facade may have appeared modern, underneath, the
construction was poorly held together, the study said. Moreover, the low quality of concrete
and the poor steel reinforcing makes these structures increasingly susceptible to collapsing
during a quake – while causing maximum injury owing to the weight of the materials, the
report said.
a. What is the issue?

In Indonesia, houses are traditionally built from organic building materials including wood, bamboo
and grasses, due to the country's hot and humid climate. These are considered sustainable homes,
and most of them are durable in the event of an earthquake. However, increasing deforestation and
the high price of wood have led people to choose alternative materials, according to a 2009 study on
post-disaster reconstruction in Indonesia from The Architectural Science Association. Increasingly,
homes are being built of brick and concrete, and while facades may appear modern, underneath, the
construction isn't as well put together, the study says. In addition, the low quality of the concrete
and poor steel reinforcement make the structure even more susceptible to collapse during an
earthquake – while causing maximum injury due to the weight of the material.

b. Who produce it?

The most is because of active volcanoes in Indonesia

c. For whom is it produced? Why?

For people indonesia, in indonesia the low quality of concrete and poor steel reinforcement make
these structures even more susceptible to collapse during an earthquake – while causing maximum
injuries due to the weight of the material

d. How is it being presented?

Architectural Science Association need to fix the structure of each builing.

e. Which part do you like? Why?

More and more homes were built of brick and concrete, and while the facade may have appeared
modern, underneath, the construction was poorly held together, the study said. From this sentence,
we know that building materials, especially in Indonesia, still tend to be weak, therefore it is
necessary to improve the quality of these building materials to make them more sturdy and
earthquake resistant.

f. What is the text trying to do to you?

From this article, we know starting from the number of victims who died as a result of the
earthquake, the houses that collapsed due to not being able to withstand the earthquake, to the
very weak building materials in Indonesia.

g. Is it relevant to you? Why?

Yes because live in Indonesia is the best part of my life but the government need improve their
work so the people can living her the best life without worry about the damage when an earthquake
occurs.

h. Whose voices and positions are not being expressed?

Voices not being expressed is the victims who get the damage of earthquake.

i. What was not said about the topic? Why?

how to improve the quality of building materials so that they are more sturdy when hit by an
earthquake. because of the large number of victims who died due to the collapse of the house

Building sturdy structures

Earthquake-resistant structures are designed to protect buildings from collapse and can work in two
ways: by making buildings stronger, or by making them more flexible, so they sway and slide above
the shaking ground rather than crumbling. Architects have been developing this technology for
decades, and engineers often adapt materials and techniques local to the region. Architect Martijn
Schildkamp, founder and director of Smart Shelter Consultancy, said his company helped to build
about 20 schools in earthquake-prone Pokhara, in Nepal’s central region, seven years before a major
quake. When the quake hit in 2015, more than 8,000 people were killed, but the schools, made from
traditional techniques and materials from the landscape, like rubble stone masonry, did not crumble.
“Our schools did not collapse,” he said. “They suffered just some cosmetic damage.” He said in
developed countries like Japan, knowledge, infrastructure and money are readily available to build
earthquake-resistant buildings, but the high cost of building such structures makes it more difficult in
developing countries. In Nepal, many people build their homes with mud mortar, which is very
brittle, Schildkamp said. “If it is completely unreinforced, there’s no extra strengthening in the
building. This is what will collapse very easily,” he said. Schildkamp’s team used cement mortar and
inserted horizontal reinforcement poles into the structure to strengthen it, instead of vertical ones.
Building regulations should prevent the proliferation of shoddily built structures, but in some
countries not enough is being done by governments to enforce the rules, Schildkamp said. “We need
knowledge and strategy in these countries. And we need governments to make these building codes
mandatory,” he said. In West Java, hope is fading of pulling more people alive from the quake debris.
Aftershocks are also complicating efforts, and residents are now living in fear the next disaster could
once again topple their unstable homes. While President Widodo said the government would
provide compensation of up to about $3,200 each for owners of heavily damaged homes, many
families in Cianjur lost everything. And now, they face the nearly impossible task of rebuilding.

a. Earthquake-resistant structures are designed to protect building by the architect

nowdays.
b. Architect Martijn Schildkamp, founder and director of Smart Shelter Consultancy,
said his company helped to build about 20 schools in earthquake-prone Pokhara, in
Nepal’s central region, seven years before a major quake.
c. Architect Martijn Schildkamp is the founder to have been developing this technology
for decades, and engineers often adapt materials and techniques local to the region.
d. It can work in two ways: by making buildings stronger, or by making them more
flexible, so they sway and slide above the shaking ground rather than crumbling.
Architects have been developing this technology for decades, and engineers often
adapt materials and techniques local to the region.
e. In part when the quake hit in 2015, more than 8,000 people were killed, but the
schools, made from traditional techniques and materials from the landscape, like
rubble stone masonry, did not crumble. Indonesia need to learn from another
country who can maintance their building with smart infrastructure from the
government.
f. The text is trying to guide me to learn a wonderful infrastructure in another county
that Indonesia can imitate the smart strategy to build anything.
g. It is relevan because as we know countries like Japan, knowledge, infrastructure and
money are readily available to build earthquake-resistant buildings, but the high cost
of building such structures makes it more difficult in developing countries.
h. Schildkap said that in some countries not enough is being done by governments to
enforce the rules,
i. What the article doesn't say is how to meet earthquake-resistant building standards
and how to evacuate properly so that people are not confused when an earthquake
occurs.