Red Cross plants mangrove trees

JAKARTA (Jakarta Post) : Members of the Indonesian Red Cross planted a thousand mangrove trees at the Angke eco-park in North Jakarta on Tuesday as part of a tidal wave prevention campaign.

"Tidal waves could cause the kind of damage the city has never seen before. The Red Cross felt it was necessary to conduct a campaign to prepare for a tidal wave disaster," said Aulia Arriani, a member of the organization's public relations staff.

She said tidal waves were a seasonal threat that could be predicted, making it possible to develop prevention and response strategies.

In the past, coastal mangrove thickets helped protect the city from sea erosion, but development and pollution has cleared away most of the thickets.

The Red Cross will hold a tidal wave disaster drill in Muara Baru, North Jakarta, on Sunday.