Alert Status in Bandung to Raised Pending on Floods Progress

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Bandung Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) head Ahmad Djohara said disaster alert status in the district would be raised to emergency response pending on the progress of floods that frequently occurred during rainy season along Citarum River.

“We must be ready to face emergency response because the situation can quickly change,” said Ahmad Djohara in a phone call with Tempo, Monday, November 12.

As of yesterday, November 12, as many as 350 people living in the banks of the river were evacuated in three evacuation points.

Within the past three days, high rainfall caused floods in several regions, particularly in Baleendah sub-district, Dayeuhkolot, and Bojongsoang.

Ahmad said preparations had been set to deal with annual floods in the Citarum river, including evacuation posts, logistics, rubber boat, and life jacket, as well as locations of the public kitchen.

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics (BMKG) of Bandung Class 1 head Tony Agus Wijaya said West Java areas, in general, entered rainy season which was evident from extreme rainfall during the past two days in Bandung Raya area. “Last weekend, extreme rainfall hit Bandung,” Tony told Tempo on Monday.

BMKG recorded rainfall intensity on Sunday, November 11 in Bandung reached 53.7 millimeters, and so it was considered as extreme rainfall as the rate was recorded above 50 millimeters or more than 20 millimeters per day.

Tony said extreme rainfall potentially occurred during the rainy season. BMKG issued extreme weather based on monitoring and analysis from the recent atmosphere’s dynamic condition. If extreme weather was monitored to happen, it would cause hydro-meteorological disaster, including floods.

AHMAD FIKRI