17 January 2024
Syafrijal S.Kom
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Flash floods occurred in Simangulampe Village, Baktiraja District, Humbang Hasundutan (Humbahs) Regency, North Sumatra, Friday (1/12/2023) at 09.25 PM. A total of 12 people were reported missing and one resident suffered serious injuries due to the incident. Meanwhile, 50 families had to evacuate to safer places after their houses were damaged and affected by flash floods.
Based on this and in the framework of implementing the Tri Dharma of Higher Education,Universitas Sumatera Utara Community Service Institute (LPPM USU) considers it necessary to carry out disaster mitigation and adaptation activities through thematic Community Service (PKM) activities in 2024. Thematic PKM activities are PKM programs that based on: issues and problems that occur in the community, resources that need to be developed, and aspirations that the community has. In this Thematic PKM program, potential and problem handling are also identified so that they are able to develop village/regional potential and formulate solutions to existing problems in the village.
These Thematic PKM activities are expected to cover matters of a mitigation and adaptation nature which include economic, social and environmental aspects. Mitigation activities are a series of efforts to reduce disaster risk through physical development as well as public awareness and increasing capacity to face disaster threats. Meanwhile, disaster adaptation activities are the process of adapting to the occurrence of a disaster or form
adjustments used in responding to economic, social and environmental changes resulting from disasters. This adaptation activity is needed to increase a sense of alertness when living in an area prone to disasters that endanger life.
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The 2024 Thematic PKM program will be implemented in two schemes, namely (1) PKM Assisted Village Program and (2) Regular Year Mono PKM, with the theme "Mitigation and Adaptation to Hydrometeorological Disasters in the Water Catchment Area (DTA) of Lake Toba (Pimple of Humbang Hasundutan Regency )”. This Thematic PKM activity will be carried out in an integrated manner in the upstream and downstream sections in 12 villages related to the flash flood disaster in Simalungampe Village, Baktiraja District. This upstream and downstream location approach in disaster management refers to a strategy that involves prevention and mitigation efforts at the upstream (origin) as well as response and recovery at the downstream (end) of a river basin (DAS) or environmental regional system (ecoregion).
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This approach emphasizes the need to identify and address the root causes of disasters early (upstream), while also preparing for and responding to their impacts (downstream). Therefore, of the 12 villages where the Thematic PKM is located, it will be divided into 6 villages in the upstream section (with details of 1 PKM scheme village in the Assisted Village and 5 Regular Year PKM Mono villages) and 6 villages in the downstream section (with details of 1 PKM village in the Assisted Village and 5 Regular Year PKM Mono villages).
