BNPB: Beware Of Drought Signification Since The Shifting Of The MJO Phenomenon

JAKARTA - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has appealed to the public's vigilance over the significance of drought since the shift in the regional Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) phenomenon that formed rain clouds.

Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center Abdul Muhari said this could happen even though in the last 2-3 the formation of tropical cyclones around the Philippines.

"But the effect is actually MJO when he starts to shift, when he is finished, then he will bring higher significance than the drought aspect," Abdul said as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, July 24.

Abdul appealed to the public to be aware of this phenomenon. Because after the rainy period in the dry season since two weeks ago, the significance of the dominant drought has begun to appear on the island of Java.

In addition, BNPB emphasized that many land fires occurred due to the burning of the garbage left behind, then the fire spread.

"When a regional phenomenon passes, it will increase the significance of the drought, even during Madden-July Oscillation, a regional phenomenon that always comes to Indonesia in the period July to August, it is usually accompanied by tropical cyclones," he said.

In the period 17-23 July BNPB noted that forest and land fires (karhutla) were very dominant in around 20 events, or 57 percent of disaster events. Although if you look at the directly affected sides, drought and forest and land fires, as long as they do not spread to community settlements, there are no people who are directly affected, such as floods.

"Even though in fact, if we look at the exposure when people are exposed to smoke, it has also affected, but it doesn't have a direct impact like when we talk about floods and drought," said Abdul.