Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has urged government institutions, local authorities, and the public to prepare for potential hydrometeorological disasters as the country enters its rainy season. The agency specifically warned regions expected to experience higher-than-normal rainfall, which could lead to an increased risk of floods and landslides.
During the National Climate User Forum on the 2024/2025 Rainy Season, held virtually by BMKG’s Deputy for Climatology on Thursday, October 10, 2024, the agency highlighted the need for coordinated action to mitigate the impact of heavy rains. The forum aimed to provide stakeholders with essential information for planning sectoral activities and was attended by various ministries and key stakeholders.
One of the primary topics of discussion was the atmospheric dynamics, including El Niño and La Niña phenomena. BMKG’s Climate Change Information Center head, Fahri Radjab, noted that La Niña, although expected to remain neutral to weak, should still be considered when planning disaster mitigation strategies.
“Based on BMKG’s forecast, we predict La Niña will remain in the neutral to weak category over the next few months. This should be taken into account when preparing for each sector,” Fahri said in a statement on Friday, October 11, 2024.
Indonesia Lost Rp 300 Trillion in Revenue due to Tax Evasion by 300 Business Tycoons.
The BMKG forecast for the 2024/2025 rainy season indicated that most regions in Indonesia would experience normal rainfall patterns. However, Fahri cautioned against complacency, emphasizing that even “normal” levels of rainfall could pose significant risks.
“Even with normal rainfall predictions, we cannot ignore the need for preparedness. Normal rainfall in Indonesia can still be quite intense,” Fahri stressed.
The primary concerns ahead of the rainy season are the hydrometeorological disasters such as floods, flash floods, and other weather-related hazards, particularly during the transitional period between the dry season and the peak of the rainy season.
Key Predictions for Indonesia’s 2024/2025 Rainy Season:
- The peak of the rainy season is expected to occur between November 2024 and February 2025, covering 553 seasonal zones (ZOM), or 79.1% of the country.
- The rainy season is predicted to start in October 2024 for 210 ZOMs (30.04%), in November for 181 ZOMs (25.9%), and in December for 28 ZOMs (4%).
- Compared to the norm, the start of the 2024/2025 rainy season is expected to be earlier in 267 ZOMs (38%).
- Rainfall during the 2024/2025 rainy season is predicted to be “normal” in 448 ZOMs (64.1%).
- The duration of the rainy season is expected to be longer than usual in 361 ZOMs (51.6%).
BMKG’s call to action underscores the importance of early preparation to minimize the impact of potential disasters, as Indonesia enters what could be an extended rainy season with elevated risks of hydrometeorological events.
(Raidi/Agung)
