The rank of capacity of people at Karo district in encountering volcano disaster

¹ Medan Institute of Technology, Geology Engineering Department, Gedung Arca Street No 52, Medan, Indonesia
² Medan Institute of Technology, Regional and City Planning Department, Gedung Arca Street No 52, Medan, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: liz_geoitm@yahoo.com

Abstract

It had been more than 400 hundred years since Mount Sinabung last eruption. Hence, people have built settlements at its slope. However, in 2010, the mount began to erupt and consequently more than 10.000 ha farmland damaged and more than 28.000 people evacuated. Until now, it has been 7 years since the eruption and no one knows when it stops. Who will help the community when disaster strikes? Based on experience, the fastest aid always comes from the adjacent community. Therefore, the first helper, which are expected, is from the adjacent community or from the victims themselves. This research aims to find the level of capacity of victims of Mt. Sinabung disaster in encountering the disaster at every process of disaster management. This research is a qualitative descriptive research. The data obtained from interviews and focus discussion group (FGD). Interview conducted to get what the community has been done at every phase of management. This study found that rank of the capacity of villagers at every phase of disaster management in general is very low. They only reach the phase of understanding, but not motivated or search much information about prevention, mitigation and response.