Minister warns about threat from 'La Nina'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Communications Giri Suseno warned
\nthe nation yesterday about the threat of floods, violent tropical
\nstorms and landslides brought about by the arrival of the La Nina
\nweather phenomenon.<\/p>\n
The minister urged the people to take measures to anticipate
\npossible disasters starting from this month. He said the
\nunpredictable weather patterns could last until the first quarter
\nof next year.<\/p>\n
He said the phenomenon began last month when torrential floods
\nswept through several places in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
"This natural phenomenon generally lasts for between eight to
\n12 months. Its impact will therefore be extreme and will likely
\ncontinue to be felt well into the first quarter of 1999," Antara
\nquoted Giri as saying yesterday.<\/p>\n
La Nina, which means "the little sister", arises from
\nunusually cool temperatures in the Pacific ocean and often
\nfollows the drought-inducing El Nino weather pattern.<\/p>\n
During the El Nino cycle last year Indonesia experienced its
\nmost severe drought in the last 50 years. Forest fires burned
\nuncontrolled on Sumatra and Kalimantan, and so seriously affected
\nwas the country's agricultural production that hundreds of people
\ndied of starvation in Irian Jaya.<\/p>\n
The head of the National Research and Rescue Agency
\n(Basarnas), Harinto, had earlier warned the country's 27
\nprovincial governors and 250-plus regents of the imminent threat
\nof flooding.<\/p>\n
"We must learn from the experience of 1997 when we were hit by
\nEl Nino," he said.<\/p>\n
Officials at the Office of Meteorology and Geophysics (BMG)
\nsaid Indonesia had technically entered the dry season last month.<\/p>\n
They said La Nina's arrival could be detected by the heavy
\nrains in the East Kalimantan capital of Samarinda which caused a
\ndam to burst. Four people died in the resulting flood and 100,000
\nhad to be evacuated.<\/p>\n
Minister Giri cited the north coast of Java, east Sumatra,
\nBali, Lombok, Flores, Sumbawa and Irian Jaya as the regions most
\nvulnerable to flooding.<\/p>\n
The minister pointed out the government was currently training
\nlocal people to manage search and rescue efforts in anticipation
\nof a higher incidence of natural disasters. (prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/minister-warns-about-threat-from-la-nina-1447893297",
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