The Ministry of Environment and Forestry has readied an early warning system to face possible hydrometeorological disasters due to La Nina that is forecast to last until next year in Indonesia.

The system will give early warnings for landslides in the upstream areas of rivers and map out the levels of runoff.

The warning aims to reduce the risk of hydrometeorological disasters and improve readiness in tackling the likelihood of forest fires post-La Nina, Deputy Minister of Environment and Forestry Alue Dohong noted.

“There are several rain stations and early warning systems for landslides that are placed in the river upstream areas,” Dohong stated at the coordination meeting for precautionary measures against La Nina held by the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) here on Friday.

Dohong remarked that in the upstream areas, the ministry had installed five automatic weather stations, 12 river current observers, and 34 landslide early warning systems.

Dohong also ensured continued development of infrastructure, so that the ministry can have data that represents the situation, especially for sample mapping data.

According to the deputy minister, the mapping of runoff vulnerability is crucial in deciding the requisite steps to be taken for mitigating the likelihood of flash floods due to excessive runoff.

Land characteristics can also affect the likelihood of runoff occurring, he noted. Thus, the map will identify absorbing areas and show the spatial distribution that is vulnerable.

“Hence, the upstream areas can be identified, and we can increase their absorption capability to reduce surface runoff due to rainfall,” Dohong explained.

The map of runoff vulnerability is a key instrument to prevent flash floods, he added.

In addition to the prevention of flash floods, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry has made preparations for forest and land fires after La Nina is over.

Based on observations from La Nina that occurred last year, the deputy minister believes that after La Nina is over, certain areas will experience drought that is one of the factors of forest and land fires.

Moreover, the BMKG has forecast the La Nina phenomenon, which will turn from weak to neutral, to last until May 2022.

The agency stated that it can increase rainfall up to above 70 percent across Indonesia.

Source: Antara News