REGIONAL SUMMARY:
In the forty-sixth week of 2023, the ASEAN region experienced 29 disaster events that affected Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam. In Indonesia, the Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana (BNPB) reported floods and landslides in Aceh, West Kalimantan, Riau Islands, West Sumatra, and North Sumatra. Additionally, Maluku in Indonesia experienced drought conditions. In Malaysia, the Agensi Pengurusan Bencana Negara (NADMA) reported flooding in Kedah and Perlis. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) documented flooding incidents in Region V, VIII, and CALABARZON, and M7.2 earthquake (corrected to M6.8 earthquake) in Davao Occidental, Region XI in the Philippines. Meanwhile, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) in Thailand reported strong winds and flooding incidents in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla, Phatthalung, Chumphon, and Surat Thani. Lastly, Viet Nam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority (VDDMA) reported flooding, landslides, storms, and winds in Central Region.
HIGHLIGHT:
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), M7.2 earthquake with a depth of 10 km (corrected to M6.8 with a depth of 63 km) on 17 Nov 1514 HRS UTC+7, occurred in Davao Occidental. As of 20 Nov 2023 at 0300 HRS UTC+7, the NDRRMC reported a total of 101 aftershocks (M1.4 to M4.3), of which 61 were plotted and 5 were felt. According to PHIVOLCS, there is NO Tsunami threat for this earthquake. As of 20 Nov, the NDRRMC reported that the impacts of the M6.8 earthquake in Davao Occidental has reached 12.9K persons (2.5K families) affected, 9 dead, and 15 injured in 2 regions, 4 provinces, 18 cities/municipalities, and 43 barangays. Reports of damages include 826 houses, 16 road sections, 5 bridges, and 118 infrastructure/public facilities. Alert status at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center (NDRRMOC) is raised to BLUE to closely monitor, consolidate, and report all related incidents and to ensure prompt coordination with concerned agencies and offices. The local authorities have activated Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDANA) and Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams. A total of USD 209.4K worth of food items and financial assistance have been provided to the affected communities by relevant government agencies.
HYDRO-METEO-CLIMATOLOGICAL:
For the past week, data from the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) showed moderate to high 7-day average rainfall spreading across Brunei Darussalam; Sumatra, Java, and Kalimantan in Indonesia; Peninsular, Sabah, and Sarawak Malaysia; eastern and northern parts of Myanmar; eastern Luzon and Visayas in the Philippines associated with the combined effects of shearline and the development of a Low Pressure Area; southern Thailand; and central parts of Viet Nam. As of reporting, there are no active tropical cyclone advisories for the ASEAN region (JTWC).
GEOPHYSICAL:
Eleven (11) significant earthquakes (M>5.0) were recorded by Indonesia’s Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika (BMKG), Myanmar’s Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), PHIVOLCS, and Thailand Meteorological Department (TMD). Mount Semeru (alert level III), Ili Lewotolok (alert level II), Ibu (alert level II), and Dukono (alert level II) in Indonesia, and Mayon (alert level 3), Taal (alert level 1), Kanlaon (alert level 1), and Bulusan (alert level 1) in the Philippines reported recent volcanic activity according to Indonesia’s Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG) and PHIVOLCS.
OUTLOOK:
According to the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC), for the coming week, drier conditions are predicted over the southern ASEAN region, particularly over southern Sumatra, Java, Central and Southern Borneo, Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua, and over much of southern Mainland Southeast Asia; wetter conditions are predicted over northern Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, and Northern Borneo; and warmer than usual temperature is predicted over most of the Maritime Continent. For the regional assessment of extremes, there is a small increase in chance for a very heavy rainfall event to occur in western Maritime Continent; a small increase in chance in northwestern Myanmar and the equatorial region, and a moderate increase in chance in the Philippines and southern Maritime Continent for extreme hot conditions. An El Niño and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) are currently present. At the seasonal timescale during September to November, both positive IOD and El Niño events typically bring drier conditions to much of the ASEAN region.
Sources:
ASEAN Disaster Monitoring & Response System (DMRS); ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC); Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC);
Indonesia: BNPB, BMKG, PVMBG;
Malaysia: NADMA;
Myanmar: DMH;
Philippines: NDRRMC, PAGASA, PHIVOLCS, DSWD;
Thailand: DDPM, TMD;
Viet Nam: VDDMA;
Various news agencies.