Expert warns of possible storms and flooding in Central Java
Expert warns of possible storms and flooding in Central Java
Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta
An environmental expert at Gadjah Mada University here has
warned of possible flooding and landslides in Yogyakarta and
Central Java, similar to the disaster that struck Flores island
and other parts of East Nusa Tenggara province.
"Clouds above Central Java have the potential to cause
torrential rains in the region. And any storm is expected to be
accompanied by winds between the speeds of 10 kilometers and 15
kilometers per hour," the expert, Sudibyakto, said.
Sudibyakto, who is the head of the university's postgraduate
environmental studies program, said the southern part of Central
Java was especially at risk of flooding because if the tropical
storm hits it is expected to kick up waves as high as three or
four meters in the ocean.
"And both the torrential rains and any flooding could cause
landslides because in some areas the land is quite unstable," he
said.
Based on his observations, Sudibyakto predicted the storm
would last for three to five days before dissipating or heading
toward the northern coast of Australia. He said it was urgent
that the government take action to prepare for the storms.
"The public needs requires an early warning and has to be kept
on the alert, and this can only be done by continuously
monitoring the storm's movement through the weather satellite,"
he said.
Sudibyakto also said the torrential rains in East Nusa
Tenggara since March 31 had much to do with the presence of
tropical storms south of the islands of Sumba, Sumbawa and
Flores.
At least 52 people were killed and 28 others are still missing
in the floods and landslides caused by the rain.
"The tropical storms occurred due to the emergence of a center
of low air pressure over the region. As a result, all the clouds
over Java island were drawn to the region, causing heavy rain
which in turn caused major landslides and flooding in most parts
of Flores and West Timor."
He said he was concerned by the lack of data and analysis of
tropical storms in Indonesia, which makes it difficult to
forecast weather changes and possible natural disasters across
the archipelago with accuracy.
He said more analysis was needed in order to create an early
warning system for storms.
He said torrential rains and weather changes could be
predicted with more regularity if the country had a proper
observatory center. He pointed to the example of the Philippines,
which he said had succeeded in mapping storm frequencies in areas
prone to storms.
"I think it is time for Indonesian climatologists to map
tropical storm frequencies in certain areas of the country."