TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) forecasted that this year’s dry season will arrive earlier than the previous years. In addition, rainfall during the season will likely be normal and drier than usual. The season peak is predicted to occur in August.

Dwikorita Karnawati, head of the agency, explained that 289 seasonal zones (ZOM) or 41 percent of Indonesian regions are entering the dry season earlier than normal, 200 ZOM or 29 percent are entering the dry season normally, and the rest 95 ZOM or 14 regions enter the dry season later than normal.

“Regions that will experience an earlier dry season next April include Bali, NTB, NTT, and most of East Java,” Dwikorita said at a press conference in Jakarta, Monday, March 6.

Regions that will enter the dry season in May are most of Central Java, Yogyakarta, most of West Java, most of Banten, parts of southern Sumatra Island, and southern Papua.

Meanwhile, regions that will enter the dry season in June are Jakarta, a small part of Java Island, most of South Sumatra, the Bangka Belitung Islands, most of Riau, most of West Sumatra, part of the southern island of Kalimantan, and most of the northern island of Sulawesi.

The BMKG thus urged ministries, agencies, local governments, related institutions, and the community to be more prepared for the possible effects of the dry season, especially in areas that are experiencing dry seasons drier than usual.

“The regions are predicted to experience an increased risk of meteorological drought, forest and land fires, and a lack of clean water. Comprehensive mitigation is needed to anticipate the impact of the dry season which is expected to be much drier than the last three years,” Dwikorita underlined.

Regional governments and the community are expected to store water at this end of the rainy season such as in lakes, reservoirs, retention ponds, and other artificial water storages through rainwater harvesting activities.

MARIA FRANSISCA LAHUR

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