BMKG Warns Against Heavy Rains Until March

Head of the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Dwikorita Karnawati said that many regions in Indonesia are currently still experiencing rainy season.

This condition, she said, is caused by quite a strong west wind since January and it is forecasted that until March many regions in Indonesia will still experience the peak of rainy season.

“Several regions with chances of rain with medium to high intensity in the next one week are North Sumatra, West Sumatra, South Sumatra, Lampung, Bengkulu, West Java, Central Java, East Java, West Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), West Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, Papua, and  West Papua,” Dwikorita said in a video conference from Medan, Sumatera Utara, Tuesday (6/2).

In the meantime, Greater Jakarta (Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi) Dwikorita added, are also experiencing the peak of the rainy season, with chance of rain with medium to high intensity until the next one week.

BMKG forecasts that chance of heavy rain and strong winds with the speed of more than 20 knots are likely to hit several regions in Indonesia, including South China Sea, Natuna Sea, Riau, Riau Island, Java Sea, Banda Sea, Indian Ocean in the south of Central Java, West Nusa Tenggara, and Arafuru Sea.

“The chance of strong wind can cause rising sea waves with the height of the waves reaching 2.5-6 meters in waters in northern part of Anambas Islands, Natuna, waters in northern part of Singkawang, South China Sea, and North Natuna Sea,” she said.

Therefore, Dwikorita urged the people to exercise caution against potentials of inundation, floods, and landslides.

“Be vigilant against heavy rain with winds that can uproot trees and do not take shelter under trees when it is raining and thundering,“ she said.

Regarding hydrometeorology disasters, such as landslide that hit Puncak area in Bogor and floods in several areas in Jakarta due to the overflowing of water in Katulampa sluice gate, both of which claimed lives, Dwikorita said that the two disasters were caused by, among others, extreme rain in Puncah area in two consecutive days.

“Rainfall is recorded at 152 mm/day and 164 mm/day,” she said. (EN/Humas BMKG/ES) (EP/YM/Naster)