Kelurahan Tangguh Bencana (Katana) is a sub-district that can independently adapt to potential disaster threats, as well as recover quickly from the adverse impacts of disasters (Perka BNPB No.1/2012). As one of Semarang City’s efforts to build city resilience against the impacts of climate change, Semarang City has initiated the formation of a Katana through the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) since 2018. This activity expected to be able to contribute to realizing a city of Semarang that is resilient to climate change and supports development sustainable (SDGs-13). In 2020, BPBD will form five (5) Katanas, namely: Lempongsari, Krobokan, Muktiharjo Kidul, Meteseh, and Karangroto.
IKUPI collaborates with Diponegoro University along with representatives from the Disaster Risk Reduction Forum (FPRB) in collaboration with the Semarang City BPBD to become a facilitator for the formation of the Katana. In 2020, IKUPI is accompanying Kelurahan Lempongsari, which is one of the landslide-prone areas in Semarang City. The formation of the Katana Lempongsari was carried out as an effort to reduce disaster risk from the pre, emergency response, and post-disaster. In the process, a Working Group (Pokja), Disaster Risk Reduction Forum (FPRB), and volunteer forum was formed in Lempongsari.
The process of forming the Katana is carried out using a participatory method through a series of discussion activities attended by stakeholder representatives in Lempongsari. Kelurahan must identify threats, not only from hydrometeorological factors, but also from biological, social, environmental, and geological threats. During the process, efforts to raise the public awareness of the causes of disasters were also identified. One of the problems that drive the disasters is related to environmental management issues such as sanitation and solid waste. Here, the role of Diponegoro University is important to increase public awareness of the importance of maintaining environmental quality, especially waste through socialization activities. From the threats that have been mapped, then Lempongsari Village formulates disaster risk assessments, disaster management plans and community actions, evacuation plans, early warning systems, and contingency plans. The entire process is part of realizing a resilient Lempongsari from the pre, during, and post-disaster stages. The pre-disaster stage is very crucial because it is expected to reduce the risk of disaster. The role of the community, which is supported by assistance from various institutions including BPBD, IKUPI and UNDIP, is expected to be able to increase the community resilience to disasters.