REGIONAL SUMMARY:
For the twelfth-week of 2024, the ASEAN region experienced 29 disasters, including floods, landslides, storms, wind-related disasters, and earthquake. Indonesia, Thailand, and Viet Nam were reportedly affected by these disasters. According to the Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana (BNPB) of Indonesia, floods and landslides occurred in Banten, Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java, Central Kalimantan, Maluku, Papua, West Papua, and North Sumatra. Additionally, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake in the Java Sea impacted several regencies and municipalities in East Java Province, while a magnitude 5.6 earthquake over Indian Ocean affected Bengkulu Province. Meanwhile, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) in Thailand reported storms and wind-related incidents in various provinces across the Northern and Northeastern Regions. Lastly, the Viet Nam Disaster and the Dyke Management Authority (VDDMA) documented storms and winds in Son La Province.
HIGHLIGHT:
According to Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika (BMKG), M6.5 earthquake with a depth of 10 km on 22 Mar at 1552 HRS UTC+7, occurred in Java Sea, Indonesia. As of 25 Mar at 0600 HRS UTC+7, BMKG reported a total of 262 foreshocks and aftershocks. According to BMKG, there is NO Tsunami threat for this earthquake. As of 25 Mar at 0600 HRS UTC+7, BNPB reported that the impacts of the M6.5 earthquake has reached 33.5K persons displaced and 8 injured people over Gresik, Tuban, Surabaya, Lamongan, Bojonegoro, Pamekasan, and Sidoarjo. Reports of damages include 4.7K houses (2.6K slightly damaged, 1.3K moderately damaged, 774 heavily damaged), 91 educational facilities, 5 health facilities, 24 buildings/offices, and 183 worship places. BNPB and BPBD in the affected cities/regencies over East Java Province continue to conduct coordination with relevant agencies to conduct monitoring, data collection, and provide logistics needed by the affected community. BPBD also coordinate with East Java Regional Health Crisis Centre. Rapid response team from BPBD has been deployed to the most affected areas in Bawean Island and plan to established Emergency Response Operation Command Post in Bawean Island. According to the report from BNPB, urgent needs identified include tents, basic supplies, blankets, and drinking water. Meanwhile, in West Java’s Bandung Barat Regency, flooding and landslides have displaced 429 individuals, with 3 injured and 10 missing. The Joint Search and Rescue Team continues to conduct search and rescue operations for those reported missing.
HYDRO-METEO-CLIMATOLOGICAL:
For the past week, data from the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) indicates a 7-day average rainfall ranging from medium to high across Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua), Lao PDR, Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak), Myanmar, Thailand (Northern and Northeastern), and Viet Nam (Central and Northern). As of reporting, there is no active tropical cyclone advisories for the ASEAN Region (BMKG, JTWC).
GEOPHYSICAL:
Ten (10) significant earthquakes (M>5.0) were recorded by Indonesia’s Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika (BMKG) and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS). Mount Semeru (alert level III) and Marapi (alert level III) in Indonesia, and Mayon Volcano (alert level 1), Taal (alert level 1), Kanlaon (alert level 1), and Bulusan (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, drier conditions are predicted over much of the southern Maritime Continent; wetter conditions are predicted over parts of the equatorial region; and warmer than usual temperature is predicted over the Maritime Continent and southern Mainland Southeast Asia (extending to parts of eastern Mainland Southeast Asia). For the regional assessment of extremes, there is a small increase in chance for very heavy rainfall conditions to occurs over central and eastern parts of the equatorial region; and there is a small increase in chance over Eastern and southern Mainland Southeast Asia, moderate increase in chance over the rest of Maritime Continent, and very likely over the parts of Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi for extreme hot conditions. An El Niño is currently present, showing signs of weakening and predicted to likely transition to ENSO neutral in April-May 2024. At the seasonal timescale during February to April, El Niño event 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;
Philippines: PHIVOLCS;
Thailand: DDPM;
Viet Nam: VDDMA;
Various news agencies.
