TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) recorded 652 natural disasters that hit several parts of Indonesia in February 2020, left 123 people dead and two others missing. .

.According to BNPB data from February 1 to 27, the disasters also forced more than 1.4 million people to take refuge, Chief of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center Agus Wibowo said in a press statement released on Saturday.

Nearly 99.85 percent of them died due to hydro- meteorology disasters such as flood, landslide and whirlwind, he said.

"The disasters still dominate this month. The death toll from floods is 102, landslides 16 and whirlwinds four. During this period of time climate-and weather-related disasters had an extraordinary impact in terms of fatalities and material losses," he said.

The agency noted that the floods caused serious damage to 2,013 houses, moderate damage to 1,148 houses and light damage to 2,512 houses.

Meanwhile, 514 houses were seriously damaged, 620 houses moderately damaged and 4,428 houses lightly damaged due to whirlwinds and 52 houses were seriously damaged, 26 houses moderately damaged and 200 houses lightly damaged due to landslides.

Throughout February 2020, the country saw 255 floods, 202 whirlwinds, 133 landslides, 58 forest and land fires, one strong earthquake, one drought and one high tide.

Chief of the BMKG Weather Forecast and Early Warning Miming Saepudin said various regions in the country will still see high rainfalls until early March and called on the people to stay alert for potential floods.

"In early March rain intensity is predicted to be moderate to high. The affected areas will be southern part of Sumatra and part of Papua with high rainfall potential," he said.

ANTARA