Indonesia Peak Rainy Season Expected in January, February 2017

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Indonesia is expecting the rainy season to peak in January and February 2017, according to the Meteorological, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

"The rainy season will peak in January and February, particularly for Jakarta," BMKG Chief Andi Eka Sakya said here.

This year, rainfall has been 50 percent normal, however, because of natural phenomena such as Dipole Mode and La Nina, the country has been experiencing high intensity rainfall.

"Besides, there is monsoon (a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation), and there is also a tropical cyclone and low pressure in the region," he noted.

The peak rainy season in January and February 2017 is forecast to be less wet than that in early 2016, BMKG Deputy in Charge of Meteorology Yunus Swarinoto said.

However, it has tended to be of a longer duration, according to Mulyono R Prabowo, head of the Public Meteorology Center of BMKG.

The intensity might be less than the previous year, but the duration is expected to be longer, and this could trigger hydro-meteorological disasters such as landslide and flooding, he said.

Therefore, the agency has urged people living in disaster-prone areas to remain vigilant in order to mitigate disaster and prevent casualties. (WDY)