Until The End Of December, BMKG Predicts Moderate-to-heavy Rain Will Still Hit Aceh

Illustration - A motorbike crosses one of the locations of the collapsed road at the top of the Paro mountains (ANTARA)

ACEH - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) predicts rainfall with moderate to heavy intensity will still flush the Aceh region until December 2021. As a result, residents are asked to be more alert to the potential for landslides and floods.

BMKG Class I Data and Information Coordinator Sultan Iskandar Muda Aceh Besar Zakaria Ahmad said, during October-November 2021, Aceh had been rained with moderate to heavy intensity and made the soil absorption capacity less so that it had the potential for landslides.

"Especially in mountainous areas, since the ground surface from October-November has received a lot of rainwater, so there is very little absorption capacity, so it is prone to landslides when it rains," said Zakaria in Banda Aceh, Antara, Monday, November 29.

Zakaria said that in November - December, Aceh had entered the peak of the rainy season. It is estimated that the rainy season will end in late December 2021 or early January 2022.

For the next few days, said Zakaria, the growth of convective clouds will continue to occur in the Aceh region, causing moderate to even heavy rain.

His party has also issued an early warning of rainfall in category three based on the impact of hydrometeorological disasters, especially floods and landslides.

Some areas that will receive rain in this category include the districts of Pidie, Pidie Jaya, Aceh Besar, Bireuen, North Aceh Lhokseumawe, East Aceh, Aceh Tamiang, Langsa and North Aceh.

Furthermore, for the highlands of Aceh such as Bener Meriah, Central Aceh, Gayo Lues, Southeast Aceh.

"Therefore, we urge the public to be aware of flooding, especially for riverside areas and basin areas surrounded by hills, and also to be aware of the impact of landslides," he said.

Meanwhile, sea wave forecasts are still relatively normal in the Aceh region. According to Zakaria, the wind speed in Aceh is between 5-20 kilometers per hour so that the effect on sea waves is not so high.

For the northern region of Sabang, the western waters of Aceh, and the western Indian Ocean of Aceh, the sea wave height is from 1.25 to 2.50 meters. Meanwhile, the Meulaboh-Sinabang, Banda Aceh-Sabang, Lhokseumawe waters, and the northern part of the Malacca Strait have sea wave heights between 0.1 and 1.25 meters.

"In general, it's still normal. But also be careful when black clouds or cumulonimbus grow which have the potential for bad weather and strong winds," said Zakaria.