Palembang told to brace for floods

PALEMBANG, South Sumatra: Palembang will probably be hit by flooding as a result of the La Nia weather phenomenon, the head of the town's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency Achmad Subarna warned on Saturday.

Quoted by Antara, Achmad stated recent rainfall in Palembang was above normal. In July it was recorded at 122.8 millimeters, 331.7 mm in August, 254.5 mm in September, 267.9 mm in October and 121.5 mm up to Nov. 5.

"Based on this data it is likely that Palembang will be inundated as the town is located on the Musi river," he added.

The prediction was also based on the agency's observations of the temperature rise of the Indian Ocean to up to 30 degrees Celsius while in the middle Pacific Ocean and eastern part of the equator the heat had dropped to less than 30 degree Celsius.

He urged people to prepare for possible calamities and to start running flood prevention programs. (edt)