Beware Of Hydrometeorological Disasters In The Transition Season

Officers cut down fallen trees that closed the road after the tornado on Jalan Nasional Bandung-Garut in Rancaekek, Bandung Regency, West Java, Wednesday (21/2/2024). (Between/Raisan Al Farisi)

JAKARTA The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) warned about the potential for hydrometeorological disasters in a number of parts of Indonesia. Extreme weather in a number of areas and changes in environmental functions is referred to as the cause of hydrometeorological disasters.

Last week, the public was shocked by a video that went viral on social media. The video depicts strong winds that knocked down trees, toppled cars, and flew building materials.

This strong wind has an impact on five sub-districts in West Java. Citing Antara, the strong winds that occurred Wednesday afternoon (21/2/2024) in Sumedang Regency and Bandung Regency damaged 534 buildings, ranging from minor to severe damage.

Researcher from the Center for Climate and Atmospheric Research at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) said the phenomenon that occurred in Rancaekek was considered a tornado, which is likely the first time this has happened in Indonesia.

However, a different opinion was conveyed by the BMKG, which declared the phenomenon of a rotating wind as a tornado.

The tornado disaster is back in West Java, precisely in Ciamis on Monday (26/2/2024). According to the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Ciamis Regency, West Java, 158 houses spread across five sub-districts were damaged by a tornado.

Extreme weather that has occurred in several areas, not only in West Java, has recently become the concern of many parties. BMKG also warned that a number of areas would experience extreme weather until early March 2024.

Due to extreme weather, BMKG appealed to the public to be aware of hydrometeorological disasters.

Although it sounds laymanish, the term hydrometeorology has actually been used by BMKG in recent years.

Citing the BMKG page, hydrometeorological disasters are a natural disaster phenomenon or destructive processes that occur in the atmosphere (meteorology), water (hydrology), or ocean (oceanography). Simply put, hydrometeorological disasters are influenced by matters related to meteorology such as wind, rainfall, humidity, and temperature.

This disaster can cause material and immaterial losses. Hydrometeorological disasters can cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, loss of livelihood and service, social and economic disturbances, or environmental damage.

Forms of hydrometeorological disasters can be in the form of extreme rain, strong winds, drought, floods, storms, forest fires, landslides, tornadoes, cold waves, and heat waves.

According to the BMKG, the highest hydrometeorological disaster was flooding. This was confirmed by BNPB records which recorded flood events in Indonesia reaching 14,235 times, followed by tornadoes in second place with 11,456 times.

Meanwhile, the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Menko PMK) said that until November 2021 there had been 2,431 disasters and 98 percent of them were hydrometeorological disasters.

The frequency of hydrometeorological disasters in 2020, has increased almost eight times compared to last 2005, citing the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture's website.

Citing Bogor BPBD, hydrometeorological disasters are caused by climate change and extreme weather. Indonesia itself is one of those that often experiences sudden and extreme weather and climate changes, which lead to hydrometeorological objects, according to the website of Geographic Science.

However, the factor of hydrometeorological disasters is not only due to extreme weather, but also changes its function to the environment, demographic conditions, and disaster management capabilities. This was revealed by the researcher of the Associate Expert of the BRIN Center for Climate and Atmospheric Research, Didi Setiadi.

"The cause of the disaster is not only one, but all of the complications," said Didi on December 28, 2022.

Changing environmental functions is also suspected to be the cause of hydrometeorological disasters in the form of tornadoes in Rancaekek. In the past, the area was a green teak plantation that made the environment relatively cool and clean. Now the area has turned into an industrial area and dense settlements.

"The phenomenon is only local effect, not global effect," said BRIN Center for Climate and Atmospheric Research, Researcher Eddy Hermawan, quoting Antara.

Eddy explained, if a tornado in Rancaekek occurs due to climate change, then it does not only occur in one place but to the north coast of Java Island.