Social networks and local communication network patterns following the destructive 2018 Lombok, Indonesia, earthquake sequence

Abstract

Social communication networks created during the 2018 earthquake sequence in Lombok, Indonesia using social network data from a social media platform, i.e., Facebook, and surveys in local communities were analyzed. The different modes of communication networks used during the disaster event and post-disaster mitigation were examined. Data on social media platform usage were collected from the Facebook page of the Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics of Indonesia and the National Board for Disaster Management of Indonesia. The data show large clusters of social relation networks based on dominant issues discussed by the public under several trending hashtags. Meanwhile, the local patterns of social communication networks, particularly the flow of information and communication used by the local communities of the impacted villages in Lombok, differ depending on the culture of communication and time of accessing information. During the 2018 Lombok earthquake sequence, communication was predominantly sought from community leaders, religious leaders, family members, and neighbours. This study highlights the implementation of a decentralization system in Indonesia, which has given the local and regional authorities a significant role in disaster management, response, and emergency command for the local and regional community, instead of relying largely on the response of the central Jakarta government.