REGIONAL SUMMARY:
For the fifth week of 2022, a total of 36 disasters (16 floods, 5 landslides, 14 wind-related, and 1 storm) affected the region. Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines have reportedly been affected. Rain-induced landslides, several localised high-intensity rainfall that caused rivers to overflow resulting in floods, heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds, and tornadoes were reported by Indonesia’s Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana (BNPB). The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that strong winds affected Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao, Philippines. Lastly, the Agensi Pengurusan Benacana Negara (NADMA) reported floods to have occurred in Pitas District in Sabah According to the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC), La Niña conditions are now currently present in the Pacific and at the seasonal timescale, La Niña events bring wetter conditions to much of the ASEAN region.
HIGHLIGHT:
According to BNPB, on separate occasions, a tornado affected North Musi Rawas Regency (31 Jan), flooding occurred in Ogan Komering Ulu Regency (1 Feb) and Empat Lawang Regency (5 Feb). The flood events affected 4.9K persons and damaged 500 houses in Ogan Komering Ulu particularly in Baturaja Timur and Baturaja Barat and affected 5.5K persons and damaged 1.1K houses in Empat Lawang Regency particularly in Pasemah Air Karuh. The tornado affected 290 persons and damaged 58 houses in North Musi Rawas particularly in Kec. Karang Jaya. Local disaster management agencies coordinated with relevant authorities and agencies to conduct necessary monitoring, assessments, and other actions in response to the disasters in the regencies.
HYDRO-METEO-CLIMATOLOGICAL:
For the past week, data from the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) showed relatively high 7-day average rainfall across the western coastline of Sumatra, western Java of Indonesia as well as the waters on the eastern coast of the Philippines. As of reporting, there is tropical disturbance south of Java Island of Indonesia but is moving southwards away from the region (JTWC).
GEOPHYSICAL:
Three (3) significant earthquakes (M?5.0) were recorded in the region by Indonesia’s Badan Meteorologi Klimatologi dan Geofisika (BMKG). Mount Semeru (Alert Level III), Merapi (Alert Level III), and Anak Krakatau (Alert Level II) in Indonesia and Taal Volcano (Alert Level 2) and Mount Kanlaon (Alert Level 1) reported recent volcanic activity according to Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG) and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).
OUTLOOK:
According to the ASMC, for the coming week, wetter conditions are expected over the region between the equator and 10°N (including Malay Peninsula, northern Sumatra, northern Borneo, and southern Philippines) and Southern Maritime Continent; drier conditions over South Mainland Southeast Asia and parts of the Philippines; warmer conditions in the region around Sumatra; and cooler conditions in northern parts of Mainland Southeast Asia. For the regional assessment of extremes there is moderate chance for a very heavy rainfall event in the southern Maritime Continent and is very likely in the Malay Peninsula; a small increase in chance for extended dry conditions in Southern Sumatra; a small increase in chance for extreme hot conditions in central Thailand, and northern and central Philippines, and a moderate increase in chance for Southern Cambodia, Viet Nam, much of Sumatra, and western Java. Extreme cold conditions are also very likely in much of Myanmar.
Sources:
ASEAN Disaster Monitoring & Response System (DMRS); ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC); Joint Typhoon Warning Centre (JTWC)
Indonesia: BNPB, BMKG, PVMBG;
Malaysia: NADMA;
Philippines: NDRRMC, PHIVOLCS;
Various news agencies
