Beware of floods in Central Java

The Jakarta Post Semarang

Entering the rainy season, a number of areas in Central Java will become prone to flooding and landslides, with above-average rainfall levels expected in the region. Even the southern part of the province will not be immune.

Widada Sulistya, chief of the local climatic station, said the rainfall in the province was expected to reach between 100 milligrams and 400 milligrams per month, well above normal levels.

He said the regions where the rainfall was expected to reach between 200 mm and 300 mm included Brebes, Tegal, Pemalang and Pekalongan, Kudus, Sragen, Blora and Karanganyar.

Regions tipped to receive rainfall levels of between 300 mm and 400 mm included Banyumas, Cilacap, Kebumen, Pekalongan, Batang, Temanggung, Bandjarnagara and Purbalingga

Floods have been hitting critical regions of the province on an almost annual basis. Flood waters that have struck the southern part of the province have forced thousands of people to take refuge, damaged tens of thousands of hectares of rice fields and inundated hundreds of houses and bridges.