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eptember 2009 turned out to be a deadly month for Indonesia as far as fatalities caused by natural disasters. Eighty one people were killed in the 7.3-magnitude earthquake in West Java on Sept. 2, 2009, and more than 1,100 others died in the 7.6-magnitude quake that rocked West Sumatra on Sept. 30, 2009.

In a smaller (6.3-magnitude), but longer period earthquake that struck Central Java and Yogyakarta in 2006 the number of fatalities was even higher at more than 5,700. While the fatality statistics appeared to be generally decreasing, the numbers remain high and could have been entirely avoided.

There is one consistent lesson to be drawn from the series of earthquakes that are now occurring more frequently in Indonesia and that is that earthquakes don't kill people. It was the collapsed homes and buildings that caused death, serious injuries and loss of livelihood. Indeed, the number of people that died from collapsed homes and buildings was extremely high in all three cases; 350 thousand in Yogyakarta, 45 thousand in West Java, and estimates of more than 135 thousand in West Sumatra.

Analysis by experts has yielded the same results; the poor quality of construction, lack of building codes, improper site selection and poor standards of enforcement were the underlying causes of these massive damages. But, does this means that we just have to wait until the next big earthquake and do nothing?

Indonesia actually has many leading experts in earth sciences who are more than capable of identifying areas in the countries that are prone to earthquakes. Similarly, there are many seismic and building engineers that are more than capable of designing and constructing earthquake-resistant buildings. But, in the absence of public awareness and effective regulation, people will continue to build unsafe buildings that are perceived to be cost effective, but which could actually become very expensive if the buildings eventually collapse in the event of an earthquake.

With earthquakes becoming a daily occurrence and an overstretched government budget, which barely covers losses suffered by the victims, it is time for Indonesians to start protecting themselves from the destruction of their own homes. Few collective but practical efforts could be considered.

First, without necessarily creating fear, it should be possible to educate the public about the risk of disasters in their areas and the buildings in which they live. Hazard zoning maps that show different degrees of disaster risk could be made available to the public. In areas where there is an immediate danger of an earthquake, landslide, flash flood or tsunami, warning signs could be posted to help register the needs for cautions and appropriate safety precautions and reactions

Second, architects, civil engineers, carpenters and masons needs to receive incentives for offering their expertise and skills in building safer, lighter and more seismic resistant-buildings. Many newer government buildings in Padang, which were built with heavy structure on the upper part for aesthetic reasons, were among the first to experience structural collapse on their ground floors when the recent earthquake occurred. It should not be too difficult for Indonesian architects and engineers to come up with equally aesthetic designs that are earthquake proof.

Third, and perhaps the most important, although may be slightly more challenging, the government, especially at the local level should start enforcing building codes and zoning, and encourage voluntary standard compliance. No one is willing to lose her/his life, homes and properties. But without proper public order and compliance to safety standards, one single earthquake-resistant building in the middle of chaotic urban jungle may withstand the ground shake of an earthquake, but would definitely be buried by the surrounding buildings.

It is time for building permit system to go beyond proforma or a source of local government income (formal or otherwise). Home owners could be encouraged to voluntarily meet building safety standards in exchange for the automatic issuance of permits and lower building taxes that could be converted into an earthquake insurance premium.

The government needs to be more proactive in using its regulating and fiscal powers to prevent the massive buildup of vulnerable buildings, which would eventually become the government's burden to provide compensation or subsidy in the event of a disaster.

Indonesia is resilient enough in facing the current global financial turmoil, in part thanks to prudent government economic policy and people's modest lifestyle. The same could be achieved by building Indonesia's resilience to frequent disasters such as earthquakes and floods. The time for contemplation has passed, and it is time to protect people in their own homes instead of continually exposing them to potential deadly traps of poorly constructed buildings.