Bandung, IndonesiaSentinel — The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has reported a staggering 1,223 disaster events across Indonesia from January 1 to August 19, 2024. The majority of these incidents have been classified as hydrometeorological disasters.
“As of August 19, just two days after our Independence Day celebration, we have experienced 1,223 disaster events,” stated Abdul Muhari, Head of the BNPB’s Data, Information, and Disaster Communication Center, during a Disaster Briefing on Tuesday, August 20, 2024.
Out of the total disasters recorded, an overwhelming 98.94% were hydrometeorological in nature, including floods, extreme weather, forest and land fires, landslides, and droughts. “Floods, extreme weather, and other hydrometeorological events continue to dominate across Indonesia,” noted Muhari, who is often referred to as Aam.
He also highlighted the regions most affected by these disasters. In Sumatra, the provinces of North Sumatra, Aceh, and South Sumatra have seen the highest disaster occurrence. Meanwhile, in Java, the provinces of West Java, Central Java, and East Java have been particularly impacted.
“In Sumatra, three provinces are the most affected: North Sumatra, Aceh, and South Sumatra. As for Java, it’s traditionally West Java, Central Java, and East Java that see the most incidents,” Aam elaborated.
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In Kalimantan, South Kalimantan has historically been a disaster-prone area, but so far this year, the region has remained relatively under control. “Kalimantan is still quite manageable this year. Typically, South Kalimantan experiences a high frequency of disasters, but through the first and second halves of this year, the situation has been relatively stable.”
On the other hand, Sulawesi has seen a notable increase in disaster occurrences, particularly in South Sulawesi, which has a history of frequent disasters. This year, however, Central Sulawesi has also emerged as a region with a significantly high frequency of disaster events.
“Now, Sulawesi is becoming more prominent, especially South Sulawesi, which historically has had a high disaster frequency, but this year, Central Sulawesi has also seen a significant increase in incidents,” Aam concluded.
(Agung)
