TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has called on regional governments and people to be more prepared as it predicted that this year’s dry season will peak in August.

“Stakeholders and communities are expected to be more prepared and vigilant towards possible impacts of the dry season, particularly in areas prone to drought, land and forest fires, and clean water shortage,” the BMKG noted in its official page on Monday, June 8.

The agency also suggested local governments to optimize water storage during rainy seasons, such as rainwater harvesting in lakes, reservoirs, retention ponds, and other artificial water storages.

The 2020 dry season is generally forecasted to be wetter than last year’s dry season. However, 30 percent of season zone (ZOM) areas are predicted to be drier than normal.

BMKG asserted that early anticipatory measures must be taken in those areas, including parts of Aceh, east coast of North Sumatra, parts of Riau, east of Lampung.

Other areas include south areas of Banten, parts of West Java, central and north parts of Central Java, parts of East Java, east part of Bali, east part of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), parts of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), southeast part of East Kalimantan, parts of South Sulawesi, south of Southeast Sulawesi, and west and southeast of Maluku.

FIKRI ARIGI