La Niña Caused Landslide in Central Java, 4 People Lost Their Lives

Nusantara Pol - Heavy rainfall, as a result La Niña phenomenon, has caused a landslide in Banjarnegara Regency, Central Java Province. The incident that occurred on Friday night (19/11/2021), at 21.30 local time has resulted in the death of four people. One resident was injured and three others were evacuated.

As of Saturday morning (20/11/2021), as reported by Indonesian National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB), the bodies of those who died have been successfully evacuated by a joint team. Meanwhile, the survivors have taken refuge temporarily at the Pagentan District Office.

In addition to the loss of life, the landslide also damaged two residents' houses. The incident took place in Pagentan Village, Pagentan District, Banjarnegara.

The landslide occurred after a heavy rain accompanied by winds flushed the Banjarnegara area on Friday night. Regional Disaster Management Agency for Banjarnegara Regency reported that the rainy conditions caused a cliff as high as 25 meters to slide and hit two residents' houses below it. 

Residents' houses were damaged by a landslide that occurred in Banjarnegara Regency, Central Java Province. (BPBD Banjarnegara).

The local Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) together with the armed forces (TNI),police, search & rescue agency, and other organizations have carried out emergency handling at location of the disaster. 

The joint team has conducted evacuation and relief, logistics distribution and clearing of landslide materials. BPBD has distributed logistical assistance in the form of sleeping equipment, bathing and food to the displaced residents.

To clean up landslide material, BPBD together with related agencies have also deployed heavy equipment at the scene.

According to the weather forecast for the Pagentan District today, Saturday (20/11),  the area has the chance to rain with moderate to heavy intensity. The disaster management agency stated a possible additional landslides.

Banjarnegara Regency is an area prone to landslides. The inaRISK study (disaster risk assessment portal) stated that the area is in a moderate to high landslide hazard category. A total of 20 districts, including Pagentan, are included in areas with such potential hazards.

Responding to the potential danger of further landslides, local governments and the public are advised to always be alert when high intensity rain occurs.

Previously, on December 24, 2014, a massive landslide occurred in Banjarnegara area, Sampang Village, Karangkoba district. As many as 108 residents were burred alive and killed.

2021 Sintang Flood Update

In other news, the flood in Sintang Regency, West Kalimantan has not subsided. The water level still stays at around 80 cm deep. 

The area has been flooded for approximately one month since last October. Thousands residents are still in refugee camp. 

The flood has been blamed on the damaged rain catchment area around the Kapuas river.

On Friday, November 19, 2021, President Joko Widodo has committed to build major nursery to produces millions of seedlings per year. The then seedlings will be used to rehabilitate critical lands.