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BMKG predicts more floods, less drought in 2020
Extreme rainfall that is expected to peak in February to March might bring more floods, landslides and hurricanes.
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Volunteers prepare food in a public kitchen at the West Jakarta mayor's office on Jan. 3. Flood victims were placed at temporary shelters built outside the office building. (JP/Dionnasius Aditya)
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ollowing severe flooding in the first week of the year, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) expects floods and landslides to continue in the coming months.
BMKG head Dwikorita Karnawati said a climate anomaly that caused an extreme long dry season last year would not recur in 2020 but extreme rainfall was expected to peak in February to March, bringing more floods, landslides and hurricanes.
“While preparing for the peak of the rainy season, the function of reservoirs should be maximized to maintain water supply during the dry season,” Dwikorita said.
The agency recorded that the long drought last year, the worst since 2015, was caused by a climate anomaly, resulting in a shortage of water supplies and vast forest fires.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spent Rp 3.7 trillion (US$ 265.6 million) on mitigation efforts against forest fires that razed 942,485 hectares nationwide. The allocated funds accounted for half of the agency’s Rp 6.7 trillion disaster mitigation fund.
While not focusing on the dry season this year, the BMKG said it had prepared mitigation plans against forest fires through Map of Days without Rain. “After 10 days without rain, the Himawari satellite will inform about potential hot spots. Hourly information will then be posted to our website.” Dwikorita said.
The BNPB recorded that hydrometeorological disasters such as floods, droughts, hurricanes and landslides accounted for nearly all disasters last year.
