13 hours ago
9
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) stated that extreme weather conditions from the end of January to February 2025 could potentially trigger hydrometeorological disasters in Central Java Province.
In the Hydrometeorological Disaster Anticipation Coordination Meeting held with the Acting Governor of Central Java, Nana Sudjana, BMKG Head Dwikorita Karnawati said the importance of public and local government preparedness to face the peak of the rainy season, which is expected to last until February 2025.
"Most areas in Central Java will experience the peak of the rainy season until February. However, the peak of the rainy season is not simultaneous, occurring gradually from November, December, January, and February. This creates the potential for disasters, such as those in Pekalongan, to occur still. Therefore, we continue to increase anticipatory measures," Dwikorita said in Semarang, as broadcast by the BMKG website, Wednesday, January 29, 2025.
Dwikorita said that the intensity of rainfall in Central Java is influenced by an active combination of several global atmospheric phenomena, such as weak La Nina, Asian Monsoon, Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), and Kelvin and Rossby equatorial waves.
This condition is reinforced by astronomical phenomena, such as the new moon phase, which creates the potential for increased rainfall, strong winds, and high waves in coastal areas. In addition, very wet air humidity and local convective activity also trigger the formation of towering rain clouds. These factors are the main triggers for the increased risk of floods, landslides, tidal floods and strong winds in several Central Java regions.
According to BMKG data, the entire Central Java region has entered the rainy season since December 2024, with the peak of the rainy season expected to occur in January to February 2025. Dwikorita emphasized that heavy to very heavy rainfall will occur in various regions, especially in disaster-prone areas such as Pekalongan, Batang, and Boyolali.
In addition to the threat of extreme rain, BMKG also identified the potential for tidal floods that could hit the northern and southern coastal areas of Central Java. In the coordination meeting, Dwikorita emphasized that disaster mitigation efforts must be carried out thoroughly and involve all parties, from the local government, TNI, and Polri, to the community.
Acting Governor Nana Sudjana stated that the Central Java Provincial Government has taken anticipatory measures, including mapping evacuation routes, ensuring drainage readiness in landslide-prone areas, and increasing socialization in the community up to the village level. In addition, the public is also urged to monitor the latest weather information through official BMKG channels, such as the website, InfoBMKG application, and social media.
BMKG Deputy for Meteorology Guswanto said that weather modification technology (TMC) is likely to be applied again to reduce the impact of extreme rainfall in certain areas. Previously, TMC has been successfully implemented in several areas to control rain intensity and minimize the risk of flooding.
Dwikorita also reminded the public to be more aware of the early signs of disaster, such as soil cracks, water seepage from slopes, or trees that suddenly tilt. If these signs are detected, the public is urged to immediately leave the vulnerable location and report to the authorities.
Flooding in Jakarta
Heavy rains also hit Jakarta and its surroundings on Tuesday night, January 28, 2025, until Wednesday. As a result, on Wednesday morning, the DKI Jakarta Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) reported that 54 neighborhoods and 23 roads in Jakarta were flooded.
By noon, the inundation had subsided in some areas, leaving 34 neighborhoods and 16 roads still flooded. The flooded areas are spread across West Jakarta and East Jakarta with water levels of 10 to 80 centimeters.
Jakarta Acting Governor Teguh Setyabudi said the rainfall that occurred on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, exceeded the capacity of waterways, both main and supporting, causing flooding in a number of locations.
Teguh said the rainfall on Tuesday night reached around 368 millimeters, while waterways, both main and supporting, can only accommodate 100 to 150 mm of rainfall per day.
"The Kemayoran rain observation station recorded 368 mm. The main infrastructure is actually only capable of a maximum of 150 mm per day, then for the connecting channels it is only capable of 110 mm," he said as quoted by Antara.
Nevertheless, the handling of floods in Jakarta is relatively better than before, so that flood conditions like early 2020 are not repeated. On January 1, 2020, rainfall reached 377 mm.
Teguh said the city is mobilizing all available resources to deal with flooding, including water pumps and inspection of waterways.
"For several other areas, we sent pumps, we sent fire trucks to suck up water. Like last night (Tuesday), around 23.30 WIB we sent two fire trucks to the Cempaka Mas intersection," he said.
The high level of rainfall that still has the potential to occur has made the Jakarta Provincial Government reconsider carrying out weather modification operations (OMC) if the BMKG states that extreme weather will occur.
"We plan to do weather modification in 2-3 days. As long as we see heavy weather, leading to extremes, we will do (OMC)," said Teguh Setyabudi.
BMKG predicts that all administrative areas of Jakarta will be showered with rain this Thursday morning, January 30, 2025.
BMKG, through its official social media page, said that the West Jakarta area was showered with light rain from morning at 07.00 WIB to 13.00 WIB.
In the afternoon, at around 16.00 WIB, the area is predicted to be thick and cloudy, then again hit by light rain at 19.00 WIB.
Central Jakarta is predicted to rain with light intensity at 07.00 WIB, then at 13.00 WIB thick cloudy until 16.00 WIB. As for the evening, around 19.00 WIB, the region is predicted to rain with light intensity.
South Jakarta and East Jakarta are predicted to rain with light intensity at 07.00 WIB until 13.00 WIB. At 16.00 WIB, the area is predicted to be thick, cloudy and light rain again at 19.00 WIB.
Meanwhile, North Jakarta and Thousand Islands are predicted to experience light rain around 07.00 WIB until 13.00 WIB, then thick clouds around 16.00 WIB until the evening.
Today's temperature in West Jakarta is around 26 degrees Celsius, Central Jakarta 26 degrees Celsius, South Jakarta 25 degrees Celsius, East Jakarta 25 degrees Celsius, North Jakarta 26 degrees Celsius, and Thousand Islands 27 degrees Celsius.
Editor's Choice: BMKG Weather Forecast: Rain to Wet Most Parts of Jakarta Since Morning
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
