T

he Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has advised people living in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), and Palu, Central Sulawesi, which were recently devastated by earthquakes, to remain wary about possible landslides and flash floods during the rainy season.

“Regions recently affected by earthquakes, for instance Lombok and Palu, need to be vigilant for landslides and flash floods because [the earthquakes have made] slopes less stable,” BMKG head Dwikorita Karnawati said on Monday as quoted by Antara.

She also warned people of the possibility of angin puting beliung (landslides, floods and tornados) in other regions because about 77 percent of Indonesia has entered the rainy season.

The three hydrometeorological disasters were the most frequently occurring natural disasters across the country last year.

“[This year], the rainy season will reach its peak in January; while in some areas in the eastern part [of the country], it will be in February. Please be cautious when it comes to extreme weather and its consequences [floods and landslides],” Dwikorita said.

The rainy season has already taken its toll on some residents in western Indonesia, where nine people were killed when a landslide buried four houses in Halado village in North Sumatra’s Toba Samosir after heavy rain last week.