YOGYAKARTA – Indonesia is currently experiencing a very rapid atmospheric dynamics. Unlike previous years, the weather in Indonesia is experiencing an anomaly. One of the causes of the anomaly is the La Nina, the condition when sea surface temperature in the western Pacific equatorial region is getting colder.
The impact is heavy rains during the dry season such as those that happen presently. The flood that hit Wasior, the capital of Wondama Bay Regency, West Papua, on 3 October and killed more than 83 people is evidence of the impact of this extreme weather anomaly. "Actually, not all areas in Indonesia is affected, but tangible evidence of the La Nina emergence and weather anomaly is the flood that hit Wasior, West Papua," said the UGM researcher in disaster, Prof. Dr. H.A. Sudibyakto, M.S., Thursday (7/10).
He added that the evidence of extreme weather anomaly is the high intensity of rainfall above the average. Unfortunately, the high intensity is not balanced with the ability of regions to capture the water. "It is very clear, apart from Wasior, there is flood everywhere, in Jakarta, and even in Medan," said one of directors in the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).
Sudibyakto said that many areas in Indonesia are also highly vulnerable, especially in watershed areas. The vulnerability is also exacerbated by some other vulnerabilities such as the physical, social, economic, and cultural vulnerabilities.
Physical vulnerabilities include illegal logging. Social vulnerability can be seen from the low level of education and knowledge about disaster. Meanwhile, cultural vulnerability is caused by local wisdom in a society that is forgotten. "When a hazard and vulnerability meet, it will make environmental risks very high as well," explained Sudibyakto.
According to Sudibyakto, environmental degradation leads to a variety of natural disasters, such as floods and landslides. Therefore, sustainable development that is continuously rolled out by the government is increasingly threatened. To anticipate and cope with the disaster, each unit or government agency actually has Disaster Risk Index (IRB), for example the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Public Works, Forestry, and BNPB.
Communication and coordination among the institutions, however, is often not optimal and well maintained. "The disaster will continue to happen, both in the rainy season and the dry one, so close coordination among agencies is needed. The community needs to trust and take into account the weather or disaster forecasts issued by the government," he added. In addition, a strong adaptation strategies must also be in place. "We should stay alert," he hoped.
BNPB, according to Sudibyakto, will make SOPs (standard operating procedure) for 5 types of disasters (earthquake, tsunami, flood, landslide, and volcanic eruption) soon.