Indonesia is getting drier, BMKG reveals 73.8 percent of the region is already dry.

JAKARTA - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported that around 73.8 percent of Indonesia has entered the dry season. This condition is based on monitoring of 699 seasonal zones (zom), of which as many as 516 zones are now in the dry phase.

In the latest drought season development report quoted on Tuesday, August 4, BMKG noted that only 70 seasonal zones or about 10 percent of the area were still experiencing the rainy season. Meanwhile, 113 seasonal zones or 16.2 percent are areas with a seasonal rain pattern.

BMKG explained that the dry season has spread in various areas. The areas that have entered the dry season include northern Aceh, southern North Sumatra, southern Riau, and southern West Sumatra.

Also, part of the Riau Islands, Bengkulu, part of Jambi, South Sumatra, part of the Bangka Belitung Islands, Lampung, Banten, DKI Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, Special Region of Yogyakarta, East Java, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), and East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

In addition, the dry season also occurs in most of West Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, South Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, Gorontalo, North Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, West Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, North Maluku, Maluku, West Papua, West Papua, Papua, Papua Mountains, to South Papua.

BMKG reminded that the widespread dry season has the potential to increase the risk of drought, reduced availability of clean water, and forest and land fires (karhutla), especially in areas with low rainfall for a long time.

Therefore, the public is urged to use water wisely and economically, avoid land and waste burning activities that can trigger fires, and continue to monitor weather and climate information through the official BMKG channel as a step to anticipate the impact of the dry season.