Jakarta – The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has warned of the potential for heavy rain accompanied by strong winds that could occur in various parts of Indonesia in the coming week, November 7-12, 2024. Head of BMKG, Dwikorita Karnawati, revealed that this extreme weather can increase the risk of hydrometeorological disasters such as floods and landslides.
“We urge all communities and related parties to increase preparedness, especially considering that the rainy season has started in most areas,” she said in a written statement Thursday, November 7.
Dwikorita said that weather phenomena such as La Nina caused rainfall to increase by up to 20 per cent in various parts of Indonesia.
“This higher rainfall can trigger a higher frequency of hydrometeorological disasters, especially in vulnerable areas. We encourage local governments to ensure the readiness of water management infrastructure, especially drainage and water reservoirs, to prevent flooding,” Dwikorita said.
BMKG predicts that in the next week, several regions in Indonesia will experience moderate to heavy rain accompanied by strong winds and lightning. BMKG’s Deputy for Meteorology, Guswanto, explained that Sumatra, central and southern Kalimantan, and western and central Java have great potential to be affected.
“This extreme weather is caused by several atmospheric dynamics that affect the Indonesian region, and this potential needs to be watched out by the community, especially in areas prone to floods and landslides,” Guswanto said.
He also mentioned that the strong winds and heavy rains that occurred at the beginning of this rainy season had caused floods and landslides in several areas, such as Bogor and Sukabumi, West Java. “We see an increasing trend of hydrometeorological disasters in various regions. Therefore, we urge all communities and local governments to increase their vigilance,” he added.
Impact of tropical cyclone Yinxing on Indonesian weather
BMKG is also monitoring the influence of Tropical Cyclone Yinxing, which is currently observed around the Philippine Sea. Although it has moved away from Indonesia, its indirect impact still affects weather conditions in Kalimantan and surrounding waters.
“The intensity of Cyclone Yinxing is predicted to increase in the next 24 hours, and despite moving away from Indonesia, it can trigger moderate to heavy rainfall in West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, and North Kalimantan,” explained Guswanto.
In addition to heavy rainfall, Tropical Cyclone Yinxing also causes sea waves to increase by up to 2.5 meters in several waters, such as the Sangihe-Talaud Islands, Maluku Sea, and North Pacific Ocean of Halmahera. Therefore, BMKG also urges fishermen and sea transportation service providers to increase vigilance during this extreme weather.
Triggering factors: Kelvin and Rossby Equatorial Waves
Furthermore, Andri Ramdhani, Director of Public Meteorology at BMKG, explained that atmospheric conditions in Indonesia are also influenced by the Kelvin Wave and Equatorial Rossby phenomena, which enrich the availability of water vapour in the air and trigger the formation of rain clouds.
“This phenomenon increases the potential for heavy rain due to disturbances in wind patterns that support the formation of rain clouds in several areas,” Andri explained.
He continued that in the next few days, the meeting and slowing of winds in several regions could also worsen weather conditions.
“There is an increased potential for rain cloud growth in convergence areas, which makes heavy rain accompanied by strong winds easier to occur. The public needs to anticipate and monitor the latest information from BMKG to avoid the impact of hydrometeorological disasters,” Andri said.
BMKG emphasised the importance of careful weather monitoring, especially for transportation sector players, both sea and air. Guswanto explained that extreme weather can impact flight and shipping activities, and people must prioritise safety.
“We recommend that sea transportation players and fishermen consider weather conditions before doing activities. The public can monitor weather information through the InfoBMKG application,” he advised.
In addition, BMKG also encourages people around coastal areas to be more aware of the potential for tidal flooding due to high sea waves.
“In addition to strong winds and high rainfall, an increase in wave height also has the potential to cause tidal flooding in coastal areas, which needs to be a major concern for the community,” Guswanto said. (Hartatik)
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