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Weather anomaly causes deadly flash flooding, lahars in W. Sumatra
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said the recent heavy rainfall in the province was related to abnormally warm sea surface temperatures producing moisture-laden clouds.
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A neighborhood in Tanah Datar, West Sumatra, sits mired in mud and volcanic debris on May 12, 2024, after flooding and lahars struck the area. (AFP/BNPB)
T
orrential rains in West Sumatra and lahars around the province’s volcanic Mount Marapi over the weekend have left 41 people dead, with 17 others missing as of Monday.
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said the recent heavy rainfall in the province was related to abnormally warm sea surface temperatures producing moisture-laden clouds.
“The [sea surface temperature] anomaly has been detected in almost all waters across the globe [...]. In Indonesia itself, a significant increase in water temperature was found in the northern waters of Aceh, the Natuna Sea, Tomini Bay and the northern waters of Java-East Nusa Tenggara, with a temperature increase of more than 1 degree Celsius,” BMKG official Andri Ramdhani told The Jakarta Post.
He added that the anomalous weather was closely related to climate change.
Increased temperatures have been reported across Southeast Asia over the past few weeks, and the international community appears to have missed its target of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees.
A BMKG official in West Sumatra noted that built up deposits of volcanic material from Marapi’s eruption last year had made the lahars, a flowing mixture of water and volcanic material, more severe.
“Marapi’s volcanic deposits [if washed away by heavy rainwater] can cause galodo,” said Padang Panjang Geophysical Station head Suadi Ahadi, as quoted by Antara, using a local term for lahar. Marapi is one of the most active volcanoes in the country and regularly experiences lahars.
