Gunung Karangetang Bisa Berstatus 'Awas'

Gunung Karangetang yang berada di Kabupaten Sitaro, Sulawesi Utara saat ini berstatus Siaga atau Level III. Namun, aktivitasnya yang drastis hari ini membuat Pusat Vulkanologi dan  Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG) mempertimbangkan menaikkan statusnya.

"Pihak PVMBG sedang melakukan koordinasi dengan pemerintah daerah setempat untuk mengosongkan beberapa lokasi jika harus dinaikkan statusnya menjadi 'awas'," kata Staf Khusus Presiden Bidang Bantuan Sosial dan Bencana, Andi Arief, Jumat, 18 Maret 2011.

Dihubungi terpisah, Kepala Bidang Pengamatan dan Penyelidikan Gunung Api PVMBG, M. Indrasto menjelaskan status Karangetang sudah menjadi 'siaga' sejak Jumat pekan lalu. "Tadi terjadi awan panas, tiap hari memang terjadi guguran yang menuju beberapa sungai," kata dia.

Menurut Indrasto, sampai pukul 12.00 siang sudah ada enam kali guguran awan panas. "Warga di sekitar sungai harus meningkatkan kewaspadaan. Kami sedang mempertimbangkan menaikkan status Karangetang menjadi 'awas'. Tim tanggap darurat sudah ada di sana," tambah dia.

Karangetang merupakan gunung api paling aktif di lndonesia karena mengalami erupsi setiap tahun. Karakteristiknya berupa erupsi eksplosif tipe strombolian dan vulkanian serta pertumbuhan kubah lava yang sering diikuti oleh kejadian awan panas guguran.

Bahaya Karangetang umumnya diakibatkan oleh awan panas guguran, guguran lava pijar dari kubah lava, dan bahaya sekunder berupa lahar. Risiko bahaya semakin tinggi karena jarak antara batas pantai dengan pusat erupsi hanya lebih kurang 4 km di mana terdapat banyak pemukiman penduduk. Erupsi terakhir terjadi pada 6 Agustus 2010 dan telah merenggut empat korban jiwa, diakibatkan awan panas guguran dari kubah lava yang terjadi secara tiba-tiba pada malam hari.

Tsunami 10 Meter Hantam Jepang, Satu Orang Dilaporkan Tewas

AP Photo/NHK TV

Tokyo - Tsunami setinggi 10 meter menghantam pelabuhan di Sendai, Jepang utara, Jumat, setelah gempa besar terjadi di lepas pantai.

Kantor berita Kyodo melaporkan satu orang meninggal, sementara US Geological Survey memperbarui besarnya gempa menjadi 8,9 SR. Awalnya USGS melaporkan gempa berkekuatan 7,9 SR kemudian memperbaruinya menjadi 8,8 SR dan terakhir menjadi 8,9 SR.Gelombang tsunami itu menghanyutkan mobil dan merobek bangunan di sepanjang pantai di dekat pusat gempa.

Di berbagai lokasi di sepanjang pantai Jepang, tayangan televisi memperlihatkan banjir, dengan puluhan mobil, kapal dan bahkan bangunan yang terbawa oleh air.

Sebuah kapal besar tersapu oleh tsunami menabrak langsung ke pemecah ombak di kota Kesennuma di Prefektur Miyagi, menurut rekaman di NHK.

Pejabat mencoba untuk menilai kerusakan akibat gempa tetapi tidak memiliki rincian langsung.

Gempa yang melanda pukul 02:46 itu diikuti oleh serangkaian gempa susulan, termasuk satu gempa 7.4 SR sekitar 30 menit kemudian. US Geological Survey memperbarui kekuatan gempa pertama yang berkekuatan 8,8 SR menjadi 8,9 SR.
Badan meteorologi mengeluarkan peringatan tsunami untuk seluruh pantai Pasifik di Jepang. NHK memperingatkan orang-orang dekat pantai untuk pergi ke lokasi yang lebih aman.

Pusat Peringatan Tsunami Pasifik di Hawaii mengatakan peringatan tsunami berlaku untuk Jepang, Rusia, Kepulauan Marcus dan Marianas Utara. Peringatan tsunami telah dikeluarkan untuk Guam, Taiwan, Filipina, Indonesia dan negara bagian AS Hawaii.

Gempa melanda pada kedalaman enam mil (10 kilometer), sekitar 80 mil (125 kilometer) di lepas pantai timur, kata badan itu. Daerah ini 240 mil (380 kilometer) timur laut Tokyo.

Di pusat kota Tokyo, bangunan-bangunan besar bergetar keras dan para pekerja berlarian ke jalan untuk mencari selamat. Tayangan televisi menunjukkan bangunan besar terbakar di distrik Odaiba Tokyo.

Di pusat Tokyo, kereta api dihentikan dan penumpang berjalan sepanjang rel.

Rekaman NHK dari kantor mereka, Sendai, menunjukkan para karyawan yang tersandung dan buku-buku serta kertas bertebaran dari meja.

Beberapa gempa bumi telah menghantam daerah yang sama dalam beberapa hari ini, termasuk satu yang berkekuatan 7,3 SR pada hari Rabu.

Tiga puluh menit setelah gempa, bangunan-bangunan tinggi masih bergoyang di Tokyo dan jaringan telepon seluler tidak bekerja. Penjaga Pantai Jepang telah mendirikan gugus tugas dan para pejabat bersiap rencana kontingensi darurat, kata pejabat Penjaga Pantai Yosuke Oi.


"Saya khawatir, kita akan segera mencari tahu tentang kerusakan, karena gempa itu begitu kuat," katanya.

Prabowo Subianto

 

Letnan Jenderal (Purn) Prabowo Subianto Djojohadikusumo (lahir di Jakarta, 17 Oktober 1951; umur 59 tahun) adalah mantan Danjen Kopassus dan menantu dari mantan Presiden Indonesia Soeharto. Prabowo adalah calon presiden dalam pemilu presiden Republik Indonesia 2009 dari Partai Gerakan Indonesia Raya (GERINDRA). 

 

Karena sejumlah kendala politik, akhirnya Prabowo bersedia menjadi calon wakil presiden Megawati Soekarnoputri. 

Anak dari begawan ekonomi Indonesia, Soemitro Djojohadikusumo, ini menikah dengan Titiek Prabowo, anak Presiden Soeharto, akan tetapi bercerai setelah dicopot jabatannya oleh Presiden Habibie melalui mantan Pangab Wiranto karena keterlibatan oknum Kopassus dalam kasus penculikan sejumlah aktivis LSM dan pelanggaran HAM

Muslims of Jakarta, Indonesia

Jakarta: City of Contrasts

In the center of Jakarta stands Istiqlal, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia. With space for 100,000 worshipers, Istiqlal is the pride of Indonesia's Muslims. The grand scale of Istiqlal is mirrored in Jakarta's colossal shopping centres, its elevated six-lane toll road, and the glittering fountains, bank towers and festive light sculptures of the Sudirman business district.

Yet an estimated one million Jakartans live in poverty. Some people squat illegally on riverbanks, empty lots and floodplains, where they support themselves by day labour, scavenging or begging. On the northern shore, many make their living from the sea.

Jakarta's Muslims

A Muslim in Jakarta may be rich or poor, liberal or conservative, moderate or fundamentalist, quranically well educated or ignorant of Islam's basic tenets. He may be fervently devout or spiritually indifferent. While many followers of Jesus here have shown little concern for their Muslim neighbors, others are hearing God's call and reaching out in love.

Prayer Points

• Pray for good governance. Corruption is rampant, inflation and unemployment are high and Indonesia's social balance remains fragile. A string of natural disasters has battered the country and strained the government's ability to respond. Pray for God-fearing leaders and effective government.
• Pray that the love, grace and power of God be manifest in the lives of his people. Pray that the Lord's followers would exemplify his holiness and justice in workplaces, schools and communities throughout Jakarta.
• Jakarta has small communities of Jesus-followers from Muslim backgrounds. Pray that the Spirit would bring dreams and visions, conviction of sin, faith and new life to many more.
• Pray for transformation and abundant life for Jakarta's poor.

Betawi of Indonesia

The Betawi people live on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia's sprawling capital city. The Betawi are considered the original inhabitants of Jakarta. Betawi ancestry is a mixture of Portuguese, Indian, Arab, Javanese, Sunda and Balinese, among others. Since the 16th century, these groups have intermingled in the Jakarta area. In addition to intermarrying, they also developed a unique form of the Malay language in order to communicate.

Livelihood

Urban Betawi often work as merchants, laborers, craftspeople, office staff or government officers. Betawi outside the city are largely involved in agriculture. Many cultivate rice or fruit. Some own fish farms. As Jakarta, a megacity of over 14 million people, grows, the Betawi are increasingly under pressure. Agricultural land has been sold for housing developments and industrial complexes, forcing many Betawi farmers to look for new occupations.

Culture

Betawi arts include the topeng, a mask dance, wayang golek, a traditional puppet show and teater lenong, a form of comedic drama. While Betawi arts were fairly popular until the late 1970s, interest has since dwindled. Non-profits and charitable organizations are now making deliberate attempts to preserve traditional Betawi art forms.

Beliefs

Most Betawi people are Muslim. Many faithfully practice Islam, praying five times a day and fasting in the month of Ramadan. Even those who are less diligent still find a strong identity in Islam. All Betawi use the Islamic greeting "Assalamualaikum" when they meet.

Prayer Points

• Pray that Betawi farmers who have been forced to give up their land would find new ways to support themselves.
• Pray for followers of Jesus to find ways to become part of Betawi communities and to share the Good News.
• Pray that the Betawi would be open to hearing about God's love.
• Pray for Betawi followers of Jesus that they would grow in their faith and that they would have the courage to reach out to their own people group and beyond.
• Pray for literature to be developed in each of the main Betawi subdialects. Pray that followers of Jesus would find creative ways to help the Betawi make use of these resources.

Java-Banten of Indonesia

Who are the Java-Banten?

The Java-Banten live in the westernmost part of Java Island, Indonesia. Most Banten can be found in the district of Serang, in the northern part of Banten province.

Livelihood

Almost a quarter of the Java-Banten work in the manufacturing industry, which is widespread in the northern part of Banten province. Shoes, textiles and ceramics are produced in Tangerang. Near Serang, there is brick manufacturing and a YKK zipper factory. Anyer produces steel and plastics.

Many other Java-Banten are farmers. They grow rice, coffee, cloves, bananas and durian, a soft, "stinky" fruit with a thick, spiky shell. Other Banten people work in shops or in the tourism industry. Tourist attractions in the area include Kaibon Palace, Old Banten City and the Great Banten Mosque, which was built in 1566.

Sadly, these employment opportunities are not sufficient to support the Java-Banten. Many people have a low income or none at all. There is a high level of poverty.

History

The Java-Banten trace their ancestry to Muslim warriors from Cirebon, Java who used magical powers to make themselves invulnerable and to establish the Banten Sultanate in 1526. Their descendants are believed to retain this invulnerability today.

Beliefs

The Banten people are extremely dedicated to Islam. They are proud of many new Muslim schools that have recently been built.

Prayer Points

• Pray for the spiritual and physical health of followers of Jesus who live in Banten communities. May God protect them as they travel Indonesia's crowded roads. They also need spiritual protection. Occult activity is prevalent throughout the area, and curses may sometimes be directed against followers of Jesus.
• Pray that more followers of Jesus would move to Java-Banten communities.
• Pray for followers of Jesus to find ways to demonstrate God's love to the Java-Banten, creating room for the Good News.
• Pray that Banten leaders would decide to follow Jesus, spreading the Good News throughout the Banten community.
• Pray for an end to corruption in the province, and for economic growth to benefit the poorer people.