Jakarta likely to experience wet Idul Fitri: BMG
Jakarta likely to experience wet Idul Fitri: BMG
Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
Don't leave home without your umbrella during Idul Fitri because
the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) predicts afternoon
and evening showers on Nov. 3 and Nov. 4 in Greater Jakarta.
The agency also predicts cloudy skies on the eve of Idul
Fitri, with light showers in several areas such as in South
Jakarta, West Jakarta, East Jakarta, Bogor, Tangerang, and
Bekasi, that could dampen the takbiran spirit.
The eve of Idul Fitri is usually celebrated by takbiran
parades, when people cruise through the city in open vehicles
chanting praises to Allah and beating drums to mark the end of
Ramadhan.
BMG's head of public weather information Achmad Zakir said on
Tuesday that evening showers were the trade mark of the east-
southeasterly wind that was prevalent this month.
He said that more rain was expected in December when the wind
changes from an east-southeasterly direction to a more westerly
direction.
"The east-southeasterly wind brings rains in the evenings, as
is happening now. But the west winds will bring more
unpredictable rains, that could last all day, all night and even
for days," Zakir told The Jakarta Post.
As a consequence, daily precipitation will also rise by 10
percent to 20 percent in December, he said, explaining that while
this does not automatically mean floods for Jakarta, people
should still be prepared for the possibility.
"As we enter December there will be more rain falling evenly
around Jakarta, meaning the risk of floods will be higher in more
areas around the city," Zakir said.
While it is unlikely that serious floods as occurred in 2003
will happen this year, floods will likely occur after heavy rains
for three consecutive days.
"At that time we will have alerted the authorities of possible
flooding," he said, explaining that the BMG gives out routine
reports on monthly precipitation, and weekly, daily and spot
weather reports.
Zakir also warned of possible flash floods from Bogor, where
rains will also become more frequent in December.
"If precipitation in Bogor reaches more than 50 millimeters a
day, and it also rains in Jakarta, that's when we must be extra
prepared for floods," he said.
Rains in the coming weeks can also be a hazard for travelers
on their way to their hometowns for the Idul Fitri holiday.
"Although not the only reason, heavy rains in several areas
could cause flooding and landslides," BMG director Sri Woro
Harijono said in a press conference on Tuesday.
She said several areas in West Java such as the Pandeglang
regency, Lebak, Sukabumi, Bogor, Cianjur, Bandung, southern
Garut, parts of southern Tasikmalaya, Purwakarta, as well as the
Cilacap regency in Central Java, and northern Gresik in East
Java, were prone to floods and landslides.
The head of the Geological Disaster Mitigation Division at the
Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Surono, explained that
West Java was most prone to floods and landslides due to the
area's geological condition.
He also warned travelers to be careful crossing the new
Cipularang toll road toward Bandung, West Java, as it crosses a
landslide-prone area.
"Of course preventive measures have been taken, the water
drainage system is better, for example, so that rainwater will
not have time to be absorbed by the earth and weaken its
composition," Surono explained.