BNPB Warns of Flash Flood Potential at Sigi Earthquake Site

Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Lieutenant General Suharyanto has urged local governments to immediately undertake mitigation measures to anticipate the potential for flash floods in areas affected by the Central Sulawesi earthquake. The warning was delivered by Suharyanto while chairing an emergency response coordination meeting at the Field Command Post in Nokilalaki District, Sigi Regency, on Friday, 19 June 2026. According to him, drone monitoring results revealed 24 landslide points across several hills. Of these, four points were identified as experiencing blockages due to accumulated landslide material. “Due to rain, the water is being held back; it is feared that if rainfall increases, there will be a potential risk of flash floods. Earlier, it was agreed that the blocked sections would be breached using alkon pumps,” Suharyanto said in an official statement on Friday. BNPB and the local government have agreed on emergency measures including periodic monitoring and the opening of water flow channels using alkon pumps to prevent the formation of natural dams that could burst at any time. The potential threat of flash floods is an additional concern amidst the ongoing post-earthquake recovery process in Sigi Regency. The magnitude 6.7 earthquake that occurred on Tuesday, 16 June 2026, not only damaged residents’ homes and public facilities but also triggered landslides on several hillside slopes. During the coordination meeting, Suharyanto assessed that the emergency response so far has proceeded quite rapidly. On the fourth day after the earthquake, the local government had erected refugee tents near residential areas to anticipate aftershocks. “From the results of the coordination meeting earlier, thank God the handling has been very fast. Tents have been built close to residents’ homes as a precaution in case of aftershocks,” he said. In addition to chairing the meeting, Suharyanto also inspected several affected locations in Sejahtera Village, Palolo District, and Kamarora Village, Nokilalaki District. He ensured that residents’ basic needs, including temporary places of worship, would be promptly met by the government. According to BNPB, Sigi Regency is the area that experienced the most significant impact from the earthquake. To date, three people have been reported dead due to the disaster. Meanwhile, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) recorded 703 aftershocks as of Thursday, 18 June 2026. Of these, 25 tremors were still felt by the community, leading some residents to choose to remain in refugee tents. The Central Sulawesi Provincial Government has declared a seven-day emergency response status, from 17 to 23 June 2026, to accelerate the mobilisation of aid and the handling of the disaster’s impact. BNPB has also distributed various logistical aid, including refugee tents, family tents, basic food supplies, mats, blankets, folding mattresses, and tents for temporary places of worship for earthquake-affected residents. To date, BNPB personnel remain on site to assist with emergency response and monitor the development of potential subsequent threats, including the risk of flash floods due to landslides.