TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported an increase in the threat of natural disasters related to the La Nina phenomenon and in earthquake intensity this year.

The report was conveyed by the agency head Dwikorita Karnawati in a meeting with the central and regional government on Wednesday, October 7, 2020.

Dwikorita asserted that the mitigation and early warning of earthquake and tsunami, as well as extreme weather, are urgent matters to be prepared and strengthened.

“Problems and gaps between the central and regional government must be identified immediately to increase the effectiveness in realizing zero victims,” said Dwikorita in her official statement received in Jakarta on Wednesday.

A moderate phenomenon of La Nina was predicted to cause heavy rainfall from October to November in almost all regions of Indonesia, except Sumatra. Historical records showed that La Nina could lead to a hike in the accumulated monthly precipitation by 20-40 percent above normal.

Additionally, based on the seismic monitoring data since 2017, there was a hike in the quake activity both in number and magnitude. The weather agency recorded about 4,000-6,000 tremors in a year before 2017. In 2018 and 2019, there were 11,920 and 11,588 quakes, respectively.

In response to the finding, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan called on all ministries or state institutions and regional administrations to work together in mitigating potential natural disasters conveyed by the BMKG, particularly amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

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ANTARA