BNPB Warns Greater Jakarta Against Floods, Landslides

The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) issued Circular Number: B-02/DII/PD.03.02/01/2020 dated 6 January 2019 on Early Warning of Potential Threats for Floods, Flash Floods, and Landslides.

In a letter addressed to all heads of the regional offices of BNPB, the BNPB restate the weather forecast by the Head of the Meteorology, Climatologsy and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) on the possibility of extreme weather prediction in Greater Jakarta through: a. 11-15 January 2020; b. end of January-beginning of February 2020; and c. mid-February 2020.

To prevent the widespread impact of events caused by extreme rainfall, Deputy for Prevention of the Agency Lilik Kurniawan through the Circular urges all BPBD Heads throughout Indonesia to:

1. immediately strengthen preparedness and early warning actions, such as: checking facilities and infrastructure to prevent flooding such as waterways, pumps, critical embankments, floodgates, and conducting dissemination and education of the disaster prevention to the public;
2. coordinate with the BMKG, the Geospatial Information Agency (BIG), the Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center (PVMBG), the regional offices of the Public Works Agency, Indonesian National Defense Forces/Indonesian National Police, and community leaders as well as other stakeholders to obtain disaster information and disseminate it to the public, especially to those living in the high risk areas;
3. take steps to strengthen the preparedness of regional governments along with the public in facing the disaster potentials in respective regions by preparing regional resources and information systems, especially in public spaces such as tourist attractions, hospitals, markets, and etc.;
4. run contingency plans to deal with the threat of disasters by preparing the standard operational procedures by involving all stakeholders;
5. determine the status of disaster emergency and run the Provincial Disaster Emergency Management Command System equipped with radio communication and connected to the BNPB Operation Control Center in Jakarta; and
6. coordinate with the BNPB Operation Control Center, please refer to Jl. Pramuka Kavling 38, East Jakarta, telephone number 08121237575, and fax (021) 2128 1200. (ES)

Translated by: Galuh Wicaksono
Reviewed by: Yuyu Mulyani