Jakarta – The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has warned of potential flooding in Kalimantan, especially in the new capital city Nusantara area, in the middle of March this year.
BRIN researcher Eddy Hermawan said heavier rainfall would be expected amid equinoxes, during which the Sun's path appears directly above the Earth's equator, on March 21 and Sept. 23.
He explained that the monsoon pattern was driven by wind movement, which follows the Sun's position during the equinox. As the Sun shifts toward the equator, it redirects the center of low pressure and moisture from places like Australia toward the equator, in turn causing higher rainfall.
Eddy said rain usually lasts for up to three days during the equinox, with an average of about two days. He predicted that if the vernal equinox occurs on March 21, rain will likely start around March 15 or 16.
"Don't be surprised if Samarinda [capital of East Kalimantan] floods, Balikpapan [East Kalimantan] floods and IKN start to be submerged. Don't be surprised because that's the [equinox] cycle, there's nothing to worry about. This is a normal [rain] cycle," Eddy said on Wednesday, as quoted by Antara News, referring to the acronym used for the capital project.
The IKN Authority and Public Works and Housing Ministry are currently preparing flood mitigation infrastructure in the areas surrounding the new capital area. One approach involves adopting a "sponge city" concept, which has shown success in countries such as China and Australia.
Bob Arthur Lombogia, the Public Works and Housing Ministry's water resources director general, emphasized at the World Water Forum on Feb. 6 that the sponge city concept for Nusantara aimed to create more space for water.
"In [IKN] areas where there is no space for water, dams will be built," said Bob, as quoted by CNBC Indonesia.
Bob describes how the sponge city concept aims to restore the natural water cycle disrupted by changes in land use caused by construction.
Source: https://www.thejakartapost.com/indonesia/2024/02/22/brin-warns-of-potential-flooding-in-ikn.htm