Social Media as Tools of Disaster Mitigation, Studies on Natural Disasters in Indonesia

Abstract

This research tries to seek the social media role as communication media in disaster management. Since the beginning of 2021, Indonesia has been affected by various disasters. In January, floods occurred in South Kalimantan, an earthquake in West Sulawesi, a landslide in Sumedang, an airplane crash around Kepulauan Seribu Regency, and volcano eruptions in Mounts Semeru and Merapi. On social media, those disasters became a trending topic on Twitter. This research used a qualitative approach and Q-DAS (Qualitative Data Analysis Software). This research found that Twitter could spread information regarding disaster mitigation through hashtags. Also, Twitter helped report updates, distribute supplies, inform requests for help and coordination, and criticize the government. In the coordination aspect of the five disasters, plane crashes, landslides and volcanic eruptions would attract volunteers, while floods, earthquakes and landslides would collect donations. The empathy aspect dominated the parameters of understanding different perspectives, with three disasters, landslides, earthquakes, and floods.