REGIONAL SUMMARY:
For the sixteenth week of 2023, a total of 6 disaster events (caused by flooding, drought, storms, and wind hazards) were reported for the region particularly in Indonesia and Thailand. Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana (BNPB) reported floods caused by heavy rainfall in Central Kalimantan and Jambi, floods due to heavy rainfall and the overflowing of a river in Central Sulawesi, and drought in Aceh. Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) reported that severe local storms and strong winds have affected 11 of its provinces.
HIGHLIGHT:
According to BNPB, heavy rainfall has caused flooding in North Morowali Regency in Central Sulawesi. The reported flooding has affected 1.9K families (4.7K people) particularly in Perasia Timur Subdistrict. The floods also caused the internal displacement of 64 people and for 1.9K houses to be damaged. The disaster is still within the local capacity to respond. Rapid assessments, evacuation, and other necessary action have been undertaken by the responsive authorities. The AHA Centre stands ready to assist BNPB when the need arises.
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 Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, Eastern and Peninsular Malaysia, and Singapore. Generally low rainfall was observed in Mainland Southeast Asia According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC), currently, there are no active tropical cyclone advisories for the region.
GEOPHYSICAL:
Ten (10) significant earthquakes (M?5.0) were recorded by Indonesia’s Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika (BMKG) and Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS). Mount Semeru (alert level III) in Indonesia, and Taal (alert level 1), Mayon Volcano (alert level 1), and Kanlaon (alert level 1) in the Philippines reported recent volcanic activity according to Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG) and PHIVOLCS.
OUTLOOK:
According to the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC), for the coming week, there is a low chance of very heavy rainfall over parts of the southern Maritime Continent, including Java. There is also a low chance of warmer than usual temperatures over parts of northern Myanmar, southern Philippines, and Maluku Islands, though mainly over the ocean regions. The tropical Pacific Ocean is now in ENSO neutral state. In this state, the contribution to rainfall of the ENSO is small to non-existent on a seasonal timescale.
Sources:
ASEAN Disaster Monitoring & Response System (DMRS); ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC); Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC);
Indonesia: BNPB, BMKG, PVMBG;
Philippines: DROMIC, DSWD, PHIVOLCS;
Thailand: DDPM;
Various news agencies.
