Experts warn of natural disasters
Experts warn of natural disasters
JAKARTA (JP): Experts are predicting that it will get even wetter in Indonesia before it gets dryer and say the public should be prepared for the floods and landslides that may result.
Chief of the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency, Karjoto Santokusumo, said yesterday that rainfall between this month and February would be "above normal" in most parts of Indonesia.
The agency forecasts rainfall exceeding 50-millimeters per day and winds of more than 34 knots (68 kilometers) per hour.
A number of regions are expected to receive even higher rainfall. Most of South Sumatra, the south and central parts of West Java, western Lampung, northern East Kalimantan and southern Central Kalimantan are likely to have rainfall exceeding 100mm per day.
In January, rainfall will be above normal levels in most of West Java, Central Java, East Java, southern and eastern Lampung, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara.
East Timor, eastern and southern East Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, most of South Sulawesi, southeast Maluku and Merauke are also set to experience a wetter-than-usual wet season.
In February, unusually high rainfall is to be expected in the northern area of South Sulawesi, most of Central Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, the north of North Sulawesi and most of Irian Jaya.
As of late last month, heavy rains had already caused floods and landslides in many parts of Aceh, Central Java and West Java.
Karjoto said the agency's weather forecasting accuracy rate is 85 percent.
Director General of Irrigation Soeparmono said that, during the fifth Five-Year Development Plan, which ended in March 1994, floods hit 750,000 hectares of land.
Soeparmono added that, for past 10 years, the government has spent Rp 1.075 billion to redevelop areas which were hit by floods.
Between April and November this year, the Ministry of Social Affairs has recorded a total of 617 disasters, both natural and non-natural, such as fires. These have taken 255 lives, according to ministry records. The estimated financial loss resulting has been more than Rp 186 billion, the ministry said.
The meteorology and geophysics agency currently has 160 stations throughout the country. Experts say that, ideally, the agency would have 400 stations. The government says it will double the number of stations by the end of the current sixth Five-Year Development Plan in 1999.(31)