Understanding Risk Communication Gaps through E-Government Website and Twitter Hashtag Content Analyses: The Case of Indonesia’s Mt. Sinabung Eruption

Abstract

Despite operational volcano surveillance using meteorological satellite, thermal remote sensing and infrared camera technologies, predicting a volcano's hazardous activity and explosive eruption, with any accuracy, remains nearly impossible. Volcanic hazards and risk literature identifies risk communication as critical but insufficiently understood. This paper, therefore, investigates disaster risk communications during Indonesia's Mt. Sinabung eruptions in February 2014, causing 16 deaths and continuous evacuations of 30,000 residents. We critically examined one-way government-to-citizens communications via e-government websites and Twitter and citizens' multi-directional communications via #sinabung hashtag for sharing volcano risk perceptions about affected villagers. Our Twitter analysis of #sinabung found evidence for the absence of government engagement in risk perception communications and leadership in responding to the Indonesian public's expressed concerns for the Mt. Sinabung disaster. For governments that would implement citizencentric e-governance, Twitter can be used effectively as a multi-directional risk communication tool to quickly and effectively share risk perceptions and disaster information with the public. Abstract: Despite operational volcano surveillance using meteorological satellite, thermal remote sensing and infrared camera technologies, predicting a volcano's hazardous activity and explosive eruption, with any accuracy, remains nearly impossible. Volcanic hazards and risk literature identifies risk communication as critical but insufficiently understood. This paper, therefore, investigates disaster risk communications during Indonesia's Mt. Sinabung eruptions in February 2014, causing 16 deaths and continuous evacuations of 30,000 residents. We critically examined one-way government-to-citizens communications via e-government websites and Twitter and citizens' multi-directional communications via #sinabung hashtag for sharing volcano risk perceptions about affected villagers. Our Twitter analysis of #sinabung found evidence for the absence of government engagement in risk perception communications and leadership in responding to the Indonesian public's expressed concerns for the Mt. Sinabung disaster. For governments that would implement citizen-centric e-governance, Twitter can be used effectively as a multi-directional risk communication tool to quickly and effectively share risk perceptions and disaster information with the public.

Citizen-Centric Strategies During Crisis Outbreak: An Overview

“…Citizen-centric model of governmental entrepreneurship developed by Kumar (2019) does highlight the importance of public sector governance for better social program outcomes at the same time-solving issues of bureaucratic hurdles and leverage the untapped capabilities of the marginalized citizen. Chatfield and Reddick (2015) found that social media (in this case, Twitter) can be a governance platform between public agencies and act as a multi-directional risk communication tool to quickly and effectively share risk perceptions and disaster information with the public. Thus, it is crucially important to have management support from leaders, shared goals, and inter-organizational trust in performing cross-boundary government system (Chen et al, 2019).…”

A comparative study of Twitter utilization in disaster management between public and private organizations

“…In addition to allowing organizations, both public and private, to use Twitter as a platform to disseminate information, the platform can also facilitate multidirectional communication. It creates a fast and effective channel of communication between government organizations, related agencies, communities, and society at large, resulting in the creation of a channel for sharing disaster information and risk perceptions with the public (Chatfield & Reddick, ). The ability for Twitter to assist in reducing the impact of a disaster by efficiently providing individuals with reliable information serves as a key need for this research.…”

“…The public sector makes use of Twitter for a number of reasons, such as stakeholder communication and the sharing of information (McInnes & Hornmoen, ), calls to action (Al‐Aama, ), networking (Gao, ; Khan, Yoon, Kim, & Park, ), citizen engagement (Haro‐de‐Rosario, Sáez‐Martín, & del Carmen Caba‐Pérez, ), or disaster management (Chatfield & Reddick, ). Another study by Eom, Hwang, and Kim () shows that Twitter can enhance public service and improve government responsiveness.…”

Current Efforts for Prediction and Assessment of Natural Disasters: Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Volcanic eruptions, Hurricanes, Tornados, and Floods

“…Twitter-based information for communication of a volcanic eruption, Indonesia's Mt. Sinabung, was also analyzed by Chat eld and Reddick [236]. A Big Data Assimilation (BDA) project was described by Miyoshi et al [237] for weather prediction, providing an early warning about natural disasters such as tornadoes and oods, among others.…”