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Island focus: Surakarta braces for bad weather until 2017
The Surakarta Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) has issued a “disaster alert” status effective from November 2016 to January 2017 due to extreme weather that could potentially lead to natural disasters in the region
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he Surakarta Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) has issued a “disaster alert” status effective from November 2016 to January 2017 due to extreme weather that could potentially lead to natural disasters in the region.
“Based on a study from the BMKG [Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency], rainfall will be very high, even until March 2017. During this period, there is a very high risk of floods and landslides in the region,” Surakarta BPBD executive head Gatot Sutanto said on Monday.
He said the implementation of the status could be extended if necessary.
To mitigate the impact, Gatot said the local government had begun continuous monitoring of the water levels of the Bengawan Solo River as well as other smaller rivers such as the Pepe, Anyar, Jenes, and Premulung rivers.
The agency is also rigorously checking the functionality of disaster infrastructure.
Separately, Surakarta Mayor FX Hadi “Rudy” Rudyatmo acknowledged that the poor condition of drainage systems had increased the risk of flooding in the city.
“For short-term anticipation, we are preparing the quick-response and early-warning systems,” he said.
