There Is Still Potential For Landslides-Flood Post-Earthquake In West Pasaman, BMKG Urges Residents To Stay On The Banks Of The River To Evacuate

Batang Nango Kajai River Water Talamau District West Pasaman Regency (Photo Via Antara)

JAKARTA - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has appealed to West Pasaman residents who live 200 meters from the riverbank to evacuate. This appeal is given in view of the potential for landslides and flash floods following an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 some time ago.

"Perhaps someone will regulate who should be evacuated because of the potential danger of flash floods and landslides. It is dangerous if it rains in the upstream areas," said BMKG Head Dwikorita Karnawati in an online press conference attended in Jakarta, Antara, Tuesday, March 2.

Dwikorita said that based on the results of monitoring carried out by BMKG, there were a number of landslides around the peak of Mount Talamau, which is the closest location to the epicenter of the 6.1 West Pasaman earthquake.

The avalanche sediments will become flash floods if rain hits the upper reaches of Mount Talamau. Moreover, at this time the rainy season is still ongoing so that the potential for post-earthquake hydrometeorological disasters is another threat that must be anticipated and watched out for.

"From aerial photography, the danger zone is in all rivers from the slopes of Mount Talamau at a radius of 200 meters from the river bank," he said.

Dwikorita said that currently BMKG and the River Basin Center (BWS) of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) continue to carry out mitigation efforts to reduce the impact if at any time a hydrometeorological disaster strikes.

Prevention is carried out by BMKG by continuously monitoring the weather and rain intensity. Meanwhile, BWS dredged mud sediments or avalanche materials that occurred due to the earthquake and were washed away by rain or river flows.

This dredging effort is also at the same time preventing the formation of blockage of landslide sediment material in the river valley. These material blockages often occur due to landslides during earthquakes, and it would be dangerous to stem the flow of rainwater and river flows from upstream.

The reason is, the dam can burst at any time if water continues to accumulate and suppress, along with an increase in rainfall.

BMKG, he continued, continued to more intensively monitor the weather using weather radar, as well as provide forecasts and early warnings of potential extreme weather in the upstream area of the slopes of Mount Talamau.

"BMKG cooperates with BBWS, they clean up the sediment, we provide weather information," he said.