More Than 1,300 Disasters Apart From COVID-19 Happened By The End Of May 2020

Illustration (Pixabay)

JAKARTA - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) noted that there were more than 1,300 disasters that hit Indonesia from the beginning of the year to the end of May. Some of these disasters occurred when Indonesia was afflicted by the aftermath of COVID-19.

Head of Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center for BNPB, Raditya Jati, said that the existing disaster is dominated by hydrometeorological phenomena during the rainy season. These disasters include floods, landslides, and tornadoes.

"The incidence of flooding is still high compared to other types of hydrometerological disasters. Floods are usually triggered by high rainfall intensity," Raditya said in a written statement, Sunday, May 31.

To this day, BNPB has recorded 532 floods hitting Indonesia. Floods also have the highest impact on losses, both casualties and material damage.

Thousands of houses were damaged and affected by flooding over the past five months. There were 2,689 units of severe damage to houses, 1,218 of moderately damaged units, and 4,094 units of minor damage.

There is also damage to the public sector, namely 295 units of educational facilities, 369 units of worship, 25 health units, and 46 offices. Meanwhile, the damage to vital infrastructure in the form of bridges totaling 163 units.

"Throughout January to May 2020, the total number of victims who died from the flood was 128, 119 injured and missing 7. While the impact of evacuations that had occurred, BNPB recorded that more than 2 million residents were displaced by floods," said Raditya.

Furthermore, other disasters that have occurred in almost half this year are 397 tornadoes, 306 landslides, 123 forest and land fires, 15 tidal waves / abrasions, 5 earthquakes, 3 volcanic eruptions, and dryness 1 time.

Meanwhile, 51 people died from landslides, 8 tornadoes and 1 forest and land fires.

"The data on disaster events, totaling 1,382 incidents, do not take into account non-natural disaster data, such as the COVID-19 pandemic," he said.

Until the end of May, there were still events triggered by high intensity rain. Raditya said, people are urged to always be vigilant. Although approaching the change of season, in the last week of May there were still several floods. On the other hand, the potential for tornadoes also needs to be watched out for, which usually occurs at the time of changing seasons.