By: Zabran Ramadhan ) *
Approaching the New Year celebration, the public is urged to increase awareness of potential disaster risks that often occur during the rainy season. The government through various related agencies has taken anticipatory steps to reduce the impact of natural disasters, such as floods, landslides, and tornadoes that often hit several regions in Indonesia at the end of the year.
Anticipatory steps to reduce the impact of natural disasters are a priority considering that the New Year period is usually accompanied by increased community mobility, both for holidays and celebrating New Year’s Eve.
Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Budi Gunawan, said that a number of disaster-prone areas, such as South Sulawesi, East Java, Sukabumi, and mountainous areas such as Mount Semeru, Mount Lewotobi, and North Maluku, are of primary concern.
The government, through cross-agency cooperation, has prepared a disaster response team involving the TNI, Polri, BNPB, and local governments to ensure preparedness to face this situation.
The extreme weather conditions that are expected to occur, including heavy rainfall, landslides, and floods, are a real threat. Head of the BMKG Bandung Geophysics Station, Teguh Rahayu, said that the La Niña phenomenon that is active until early 2025 increases the chances of heavy rain in various regions, including West Java.
In addition, the western monsoon winds that bring water vapor to the Java Island region and local atmospheric lability conditions strengthen the potential for high rainfall. Teguh explained that the southern coastal area of West Java will experience high rainfall intensity earlier, while the northern region is predicted to reach peak rainfall in early 2025.
To reduce the impact of the disaster, the public is advised to be aware of the potential for flooding, waterlogging, landslides, and strong winds. Teguh suggested anticipatory steps such as cleaning water channels and the surrounding environment as an effort to mitigate the risk of flooding.
Teguh also reminded the importance of preparing disaster bags as an early mitigation step. These bags are expected to contain basic necessities that can help people survive in emergency situations. This step is considered relevant considering the intensity of rain which is expected to last quite a long time during the rainy season from December to February.
In addition, the government through BNPB will modify the weather to reduce heavy rain to the sea before it reaches land. However, the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Pratikno, admitted that the step does not completely eliminate the risk of heavy rain in land areas.
Pratikno emphasized the importance of the role of local governments to ensure the readiness of infrastructure, budget, and human resources in facing potential disasters. Local governments are urged to be alert and coordinate with relevant authorities to mitigate the risk of hydrometeorological disasters that increase during the rainy season.
Government officials are also expected to actively disseminate information about potential disasters to the public, including providing information about safe travel routes to avoid areas prone to landslides and flooding.
As part of the preventive measures, the government has established 1,854 integrated posts and service posts spread across strategic areas. These posts not only serve to assist the public in emergency situations, but also ensure safety and comfort during the year-end holidays.
At major ports, security forces have been put on alert to manage the flow of crossings which is predicted to peak at the end of December.
In addition, the government has developed a handling strategy involving various parties. Collaboration between the TNI, Polri, BNPB, and local governments is key to facing the challenges of disasters during this holiday season.
Not only that, community participation is also considered important in ensuring the success of disaster risk mitigation. The community is urged to follow government directives and comply with the safety protocols that have been socialized.
On a national scale, the government also ensures that anticipatory measures have been integrated with transportation policies. This includes the readiness of evacuation routes, traffic flow management, and the provision of up-to-date information services related to weather and road conditions. All of these efforts are aimed at creating a sense of security and comfort for people celebrating Christmas and New Year holidays.
The government’s anticipatory measures have received full support from various parties, including BMKG which continues to monitor atmospheric dynamics to provide early warnings to the public. The latest information on extreme weather is expected to help the public make the right decisions, especially in planning travel during the holiday period.
The government also does not ignore the aspect of public welfare in the midst of this situation. While maintaining the stability of public services, officers in the field are instructed to provide direct assistance to affected communities.
In addition, coordination with the private sector, local communities, and humanitarian agencies is also carried out to strengthen disaster mitigation efforts. All of these steps demonstrate the government’s seriousness in protecting the community from the risk of disasters that can disrupt the smoothness of the year-end holidays.
With solid cooperation between the government, authorities, and the community, it is hoped that the Christmas and New Year holidays can be celebrated peacefully despite the threat of extreme weather. The government remains committed to ensuring the safety, security, and comfort of the community are top priorities during this period.
)* The author is a contributor to the Jendela Baca Institute