BMKG: Beware of Hydrometeorological Disasters Due to High Rainfall

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JAKARTA - The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) asked all parties to be aware of the potential for wet hydrometeorological disasters due to high rainfall because annual rainfall in parts of Indonesia is predicted to exceed the normal limit in 2023.

"Annual rainfall in 2023 is predicted to exceed the average or exceed the normal limit in some parts of Indonesia", said BMKG Head, Dwikorita Karnawati, as quoted in a BMKG written statement reported by ANTARA on Tuesday, October 18.

Rainfall that exceeds normal limits can trigger wet hydrometeorological disasters such as floods, flash floods, and landslides.

Therefore, ministries/agencies, local governments, communities, and all parties must immediately take mitigation and anticipatory steps to deal with potential hydrometeorological disasters.

Dwikorita conveyed the importance of optimizing the function of water resource infrastructure in urban and flood-prone areas, improving drainage, and checking the function of water reservoirs such as reservoirs, reservoirs, and retention ponds to prevent flooding.

Based on the Climate Outlook 2023 published by the BMKG, areas that are predicted to experience high annual rainfall, more than 2,500 millimeters per year, include Sumatra, mainly around the Bukit Barisan mountains, the Bangka Belitung Islands, and South Sumatra.

Parts of Banten, West Java, Central Java, most of Kalimantan, parts of West Sulawesi, large parts of South Sulawesi, and large parts of Papua are also forecasted to experience annual rainfall of more than 2,500 millimeters.

In addition, several areas are predicted to experience above-normal annual rainfall, namely a small part of southern Jambi, a small part of northern West Java, a small part of eastern East Java, a small part of southern East Kalimantan, a small part of northern Bali, part of West Nusa Tenggara, and a small part of eastern Central Sulawesi.

Dwikorita said residents living in riverbank areas should be aware of the potential for flooding and residents living in hilly areas should be aware of the potential for landslides during high rainfall.

"Know the signs of impending landslides or floods and flash floods", she said.

Dwikorita also said that some parts of Indonesia in 2023 are predicted to experience below-normal annual rainfall, which can cause dry hydrometeorological disasters such as drought and forest and land fires.

Annual rainfall in a small part of eastern West Papua and a small part of northern Papua is forecasted to be lower than normal in 2023.

"All parties need to be aware of the potential for forest and land fires in 2023, which will be higher than in 2020, 2021, and 2022, where the dry season is wet", said Dwikorita.

According to the BMKG, drought and forest and land fires are also at risk in several areas which are predicted to experience a normal dry season in 2023.

Areas at risk of experiencing drought and forest and land fires include Riau; South Sumatra; Bangka Belitung; parts of western, central, and southern Kalimantan; and parts of South Sulawesi, northern West Java, southern Central Java, eastern East Java, North Bali, parts of West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara.