Twitter Early Tsunami Warning System: A Case Study in Indonesia's Natural Disaster Management

Twitter demonstrated its value as a viable substitute to traditional communication channels during the recent disasters. However, little is written about Twitter in government for an early disaster warning system. In this exploratory empirical research, we aim to address the question: How does the government use Twitter to inform the public about disaster hazards and vulnerability? Case study and tweets content analysis are conducted on Indonesia's Twitter early tsunami warning system to answer the question in the context of the three earthquakes occurred off the west coast of Sumatra during the period of 2010-2012. Data are collected from egovernment websites of agencies involved in disaster preparedness and response. This research concludes that the Twitter-based warning system demonstrated its value as a viable complement to Indonesia's InaTEWS - a comprehensive disaster information management system for governments - by informing the public and creating public value through its communication speed, reach and information quality.