Malang City Government Ways So That Hydrometeorological Disasters Don't Often Stop By

JAKARTA - The Malang City Government, East Java, is trying to reduce the risk of hydrometeorological disasters by cleaning sediment and garbage from waterways in the area.

The Head of Public Works for Spatial Planning for Housing and Settlement Areas (DPUPRPKP) Malang City Government Diah Ayu Kusumadewi said dredging using heavy equipment is an anticipatory measure for flood disasters, especially in Lowokwaru District.

Quoted from the official website of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture, hydrometeorological disasters are caused by natural factors such as floods, landslides, and hurricanes. The frequency of hydrometeorological disasters in 2020 has increased almost eight times compared to 2005.

"We certainly don't expect extreme conditions. The dredging to clean sediment and garbage with heavy equipment is carried out as an anticipation," Diah said, Thursday, April 21, quoted from Antara.

Diah explained that the dredging of dozens of cubic meters of sediment and garbage from waterways in the Bukirsari area was carried out because it was related to the existing water channel network on Jalan S Parman.

He hopes that the cleaning of sediment and garbage can reduce the appearance of puddles during high-intensity rains at other locations in the network connected to the Bukirsari area.

He added that one of the challenges of dredging is limited access to heavy equipment, considering that there are many buildings on the left and right of the canal. His party will continue to make efforts, including making temporary access so that heavy equipment can enter.

"We are also communicating with several related agencies for the need for additional heavy equipment and coordination of dredging in irrigation canals which are outside the authority of the City Government," he said.

He ensured that the Malang City Government DPUPRPKP Drainage Task Force also continued to go around cleaning channel after channel, in collaboration with the sub-district task force, regional disaster management agency (BPBD) and various other elements of society.

The Karangploso Climatology Station asked the public to be aware of the potential for hydrometeorological disasters as a result of extreme weather in Greater Malang, such as temporary inundation, strong winds, landslides, fallen trees, and flooding from the upstream flow of the Brantas River.

The people of Malang City are also asked to increase their vigilance by regularly monitoring weather developments from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) weather application and radar.