Karawang, August 27, 2026 — The Local Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Karawang Regency, in collaboration with the School of Architecture, Planning and Policy Development (SAPPK), Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), held an Interim Report Presentation for the 2026–2030 Karawang Regency Disaster Risk Assessment (Kajian Risiko Bencana/KRB) on Thursday, August 27, 2026. The presentation was led by Nurrohman Wijaya, Ph.D., representing the SAPPK ITB expert team. The activity provided an important milestone in the preparation of the five-year disaster risk assessment, which is intended to provide an evidence-based foundation for strengthening disaster management policies, preparedness, mitigation, and spatial and development planning in Karawang Regency.

Identifying Priority Disaster Risks

As part of the assessment, the research team reviewed the disaster hazards identified in the previous assessment period and refined them into several priority hazards relevant to Karawang Regency. The refinement considered current territorial conditions, historical disaster occurrence, and changes in disaster-management responsibilities. Volcanic eruptions were excluded because Karawang has no identified territorial potential for this hazard. Meanwhile, epidemic and COVID-19-related risks are no longer included as a primary disaster category in the assessment following the transition of pandemic management to the health sector.

Based on the West Java Provincial Disaster Risk Assessment and the latest evaluation, the identified hazards are grouped according to their risk levels: (1) High risk: floods, flash floods, landslides, and extreme weather; (2) Medium risk: earthquakes, extreme waves and abrasion, forest and land fires, drought, liquefaction, and technological failures; and (3) Low risk: tsunamis. Historical disaster records maintained by BPBD Karawang indicate that extreme weather events, particularly whirlwinds and floods, remain among the most frequent hazards. These patterns provide an important basis for determining priority areas and strengthening disaster preparedness at the local level.

Integrating Hazard, Vulnerability, and Capacity

The assessment applies an integrated disaster-risk framework based on BNPB Regulation No. 2 of 2012, examining not only the hazards themselves but also the vulnerability and capacity of communities and institutions. The assessment consists of three major components: (1) Hazard assessment — identifying the spatial distribution, historical frequency, and intensity of hazards across Karawang’s 30 sub-districts; (2) Vulnerability assessment — evaluating social, physical, economic, and environmental vulnerability. The analysis considers factors such as population density, vulnerable population groups, infrastructure exposure, productive land, regional economic conditions, and environmental characteristics; and (3) Capacity assessment — assessing the ability of local government and communities to anticipate and respond to disasters through preparedness, mitigation policies, emergency response mechanisms, institutional capacity, and community participation. By integrating these three dimensions, the KRB is expected to provide a more comprehensive picture of disaster risk and help identify areas requiring greater attention and intervention.

Towards a Risk-Informed Development Strategy

The interim presentation also served as an opportunity to review preliminary findings and obtain input from relevant stakeholders. Feedback from sectoral agencies is important to improve the accuracy, completeness, and relevance of the assessment before the final document is completed. The next stage of the collaboration between BPBD Karawang and the SAPPK ITB team will focus on finalizing multi-hazard risk maps at the sub-district level, developing a priority disaster-management matrix, and preparing the final 2026–2030 disaster risk assessment and action plan.

The resulting assessment is expected to serve not only as a disaster management reference for BPBD but also as an important input to regional spatial planning, infrastructure development, environmental management, and broader regional development policies. Integrating disaster-risk information into these planning processes can help Karawang strengthen its resilience and reduce potential losses from future disasters. Through this collaboration, BPBD Karawang and SAPPK ITB are strengthening the connection between scientific risk assessment and practical policy making, supporting a more evidence-based, coordinated, and risk-informed approach to sustainable regional development in Karawang Regency.