REGIONAL SUMMARY:
For the third week of 2023, a total of 18 disaster events (earthquake, floods, and wind-related) affected the region. Cambodia and Indonesia have reportedly been affected. Indonesia’s Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana (BNPB) reported flooding and wind-related events caused by moderate to heavy rainfall, overflowing of rivers, and strong winds in Aceh, North Sumatra, East Java, West Java, East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, Bangka Belitung, Central Kalimantan, and Bali and M7.1 Earthquake in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Cambodia’s National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) reported flooding caused by river bank collapse in Kandal, Kampong Speu, Kampong Chhnang, and Kampot Province.
HIGHLIGHT:
According to BNPB, 7 flooding events were reported in Aceh from 20 to 22 January due to the continuous heavy rainfall and overflowing of the rivers in the region. As of 24 Jan, at 1200 HRS UTC+7, BNPB reported that the floodings have resulted in 29.3K families (87.2K persons) affected and 23.9K people displaced. Damages include 13.3K houses inundated (595 partially damaged), 1.8K ha of rice fields, and 1.1K palm plantation. The local disaster management authorities have carried out necessary actions to address the situation. Meanwhile, in Cambodia, a flooding event was reported in 4 provinces on 17 Jan. According to NCDM, as of 17 Jan, at 0900 HRS UTC+7, a total of 65 families (244 persons) were affected and at least 61 houses were affected. As of reporting, NCDM and relevant agencies have sent troops for search and rescue operations.
HYDRO-METEO-CLIMATOLOGICAL:
For the past week, data from the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) showed medium to high 7-day average rainfall spreading across Sumatra, Java, and Southern Maluku in Indonesia; and Southern Luzon and Mindanao of the Philippines. According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC), there are no active tropical cyclone advisories for the ASEAN region.
GEOPHYSICAL:
Eleven (11) significant earthquakes (M?5.0) were recorded in the region by Indonesia’s Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika (BMKG) and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS). Mount Semeru (alert level III), Anak Krakatau (alert level III), Merapi (alert level III), Ili Lewotolok (alert level II), and Ibu (Alert Level II) in Indonesia, and Taal (alert level 1), Kanlaon (alert level 1), Bulusan (alert level 1), and Mayon Volcano (alert level 2) in the Philippines according to the Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG) and PHIVOLCS.
OUTLOOK:
According to the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC), for the coming week, wetter conditions are expected over much of Maritime Continent and coastal parts of eastern Mainland Southeast Asia. Cooler than usual temperature is predicted over much of the southern half of the ASEAN region. For the regional assessment of extremes, there is a small increase in chance to occur in Coastal Viet Nam, northern Sulawesi, Papua and moderate increase in chance to occur in Malay Peninsula, northern Borneo, southern Philippines for a heavy rainfall event. La Niña conditions have been present. At the seasonal timescale, La Niña events tend to bring wetter conditions to much of the ASEAN region.
Sources:
ASEAN Disaster Monitoring & Response System (DMRS); ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC); Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC);
Cambodia: NCDM;
Indonesia: BNPB, BMKG, PVMBG;
Philippines: NDRRMC, PAGASA, PHIVOLCS, DSWD;
Various news agencies.
