TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) predicted that this year’s precipitation slightly lower than that of 2021. The director of the agency, Dwikorita Karnawati, gave the weather forecast in a statement on Monday evening (January 10th).

The government and the public must, however, remain vigilant in the face of potential hydrometeorological disasters, as some areas are expected to experience above normal monthly rainfall.

They are in central North Sumatra, East and North Kalimantan, West Java, parts of Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara, Moluccas and Papua. The forecast was for precipitation in January.

During February, parts of Sumatra, parts of Java, East Kalimantan, Sulawesi, northern Moluccas and Papua are expected to have above normal rainfall. A similar prediction in March was for North Sumatra, Java, North Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Moluccas, North Moluccas and parts of Papua.

Besides disasters such as floods, flash floods and landslides, Dwikorita stressed that the positive impacts caused by above-normal monthly rainfall should also be mapped.

“It can be used to meet the water resource needs of the agricultural and forestry sectors”, BMKG the head explained.

In the long term, Dwikorita continued, the government should assess and improve land use planning and water management taking into account the effects and impacts of climate change. This could be a measure of anticipation in the face of the increasing frequency and intensity of multi-risk hydrometeorological hazards.

Read: BMKG warns South Sumatra of potential extreme weather conditions

ANTARA