Regions have started taking pre-emptive action against disasters: BNPB

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) stated that several regions in Indonesia have started taking precautionary measures ahead of the rainy season to prepare for possible hydrometeorological disasters, such as floods and landslides.

"Central Java and East Java are already on standby (to anticipate disasters) by inspecting the disaster (response) facilities and infrastructure they have," Head of the BNPB Data, Information and Communication Center, Abdul Muhari, remarked here on Tuesday.

According to Muhari, local governments need to watch out for potential disasters so the impact can be minimized. He also underscored the importance of referring to the analysis results of the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

The BMKG projected that most regions in Indonesia will experience rainfall with an intensity ranging from one thousand to five thousand mm per year, starting in November 2024, and it is expected to last throughout next year.

To this end, the BNPB urged the local government to check the readiness of infrastructure and logistics and take comprehensive anticipatory steps, such as building or repairing embankments of rivers and coastal areas.

"Do not take measures only after the incident. That is too late," he emphasized.

According to the BNPB data, as of November 16, 2024, Indonesia bore witness to 1,756 disaster events, 94 percent of which were hydrometeorological in nature in the form of floods, landslides, and extreme weather.

The disasters had damaged thousands of houses and displaced residents.

Earlier, after the coordination meeting across ministries and agencies on Monday (November 18), Muhari revealed that in preparing for the rainy season, local governments are authorized to determine the disaster alert or emergency response statuses immediately.