RI lost 24 islands by disasters, environmental damage: minister

Gorontalo (ANTARA News) - Indonesia has so far lost 24 islands because of natural disasters and environmental damage, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Freddy Numberi said here on Thursday.

He said four islands disappeared when a massive tsunami devastated Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) province on December 26, 2004, while 20 others in Riau province and in the Seribu island group in Jakarta Bay had also vanished because of unbridled exploitation and environmental damage.

Consequently, Freddy Numbery said, the total number of islands in Indonesia had declined from 17,504 to 17,480.

"Scientists have even predicted that Indonesia could lose at least 2,000 islands by 2030 if the government fails to anticipate it and take preventive measures," the minister said.

Therefore, the maritime affairs and fisheries ministry had recounted the islands in Indonesia and reported the result to the United Nations, Numberi said.

The minister said one of the ways to prevent more islands from disappearing was preserving their environments, especially their forests and seas.