Jakarta (Greeners) – As predicted by Meteorological, Climatology, and Geophysics (BMKG), rainy season will start on November. Varied rain intensity which occur throughout the country recently are indicators that Indonesia has entered different season.
National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB) stated that parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan have already entered rainy season. Meanwhile, rain season will be coming to parts of Java island on end of November or early December.
Head of Data Information Center and spokesman for BNPB, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, said that El Nino effects were still strong as result of delayed rainy season. In addition, Sutopo underlined preparations must be made to anticipate changing seasons which often followed by different types of disaster.
“If previously, long dry season and haze resulted from forest and land fires. Then, rainy season will be bring floods, landslides and tornadoes,” he said in Jakarta, on Monday (09/11).
Regional governments, he said, need to be ready to deal with floods and landslides. There are 64 million Indonesians in 315 districts/cities living in high to moderate areas prone to floods. Meanwhile, 41 million people in 274 districts/cities are prone to landslides.
Consequently, there should be technical meetings to anticipate floods and landslides. Furthermore, BNPB and Regional Agencies need to set up a contingency plan comprise of policy, strategy, disaster map, commando, effort, resources deployment, among other things.
The contingency plan must be agreed by all stakeholders in order to be immediately operational. It will facilitate all stakeholders to do their parts.
“Early warning system from agencies, such as BMKG, Ministry of Housing and Public Works, National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (Lapan), need to be closely observed to receive updated information. In addition, socialization and training must be intensified. Floods and landslides usually occur during rainy season, from December, January to February. These disasters can be tackled as they are predicted and recognizable so we can avoid any casualties,” said Sutopo.
Reports by Danny Kosasih
21 Apr 2024 
