REGIONAL SUMMARY:
For the eighth week of 2023, a total of 24 disasters (22 floods, 1 landslide, and 1 wind) affected the region. Indonesia and the Philippines have reportedly been affected. Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana (BNPB) reported floods and wind-related disaster events caused by moderate to heavy rainfall, overflowing of rivers, strong winds, and high tides in West Java, Central Java, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara, South Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, and Central Sulawesi Provinces, Indonesia. The Philippines’ National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has also reported on floods and landslides caused by localised thunderstorms, moderate to heavy rainfall, and winds in Region VI, IX, XI, and BARMM.
HIGHLIGHT:
According to NDRRMC, localised thunderstorms caused flooding in Davao City, Davao del Norte, and Davao Oriental, Region XI in the Philippines. As of 25 Feb, at 0730 HRS UTC+7, NDRRMC reported that these disasters resulted in 14.2K families (61.5K persons) affected and 7K people displaced. A total of 1 Municipality experienced power interruption and 7 houses (5 partially / 2 totally) were damaged. According to BNPB, flooding caused by heavy rainfall occurred in Bekasi (West Java) on 24 Feb. As of 27 Feb, at 0044 HRS UTC+7, a total of 9.6K families (38K persons) and at least 9K houses were affected. Local disaster management authorities have carried out necessary actions to address the situation.
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, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Papua in Indonesia; and Mindanao in the Philippines. As of reporting, there are no active tropical cyclone advisories for the ASEAN region (JTWC).
GEOPHYSICAL:
Eight (8) 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), Kerinci (alert level II), Karangetang (alert level III), and Dukono (alert level II) in Indonesia, and Mayon (alert level 2), Taal (alert level 1), and Kanlaon (alert level 1) 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 the western Maritime Continent. Cooler conditions are predicted over most of central and eastern Mainland Southeast Asia, and over parts of the western Maritime Continent. For the regional assessment of extremes, there is a small increase in chance for a heavy rainfall event to occur in Northern Sumatra, Malay Peninsula, western Borneo; and a small increase in chance for extreme hot conditions to occur in the parts of central and northern Myanmar. La Niña conditions have been present, with signs of weakening. At the seasonal timescale, La Niña events tend to bring wetter conditions to much of the Maritime Continent during this time of the year.
Sources:
ASEAN Disaster Monitoring & Response System (DMRS); ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC); Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC);
Indonesia: BNPB, BMKG, PVMBG;
Philippines: NDRRMC, PHIVOLCS;
Various news agencies.
