Indonesia prepares for drought as El Niño delays rainy season

Jakarta [Indonesia], October 25: Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) is preparing mitigation measures as El Niño may delay the rainy season into early 2027.
"We continue to monitor and evaluate update of weather data provided by the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) regarding the potential for prolonged drought," BNPB official Berton Panjaitan said as quoted by Indonesian news agency (ANTARA).
The agency, ministries and local governments are developing daily and weekly measures to control drought and forest and land fires. Measures include "weather modification operations to increase the potential for rainfall by seeding NaCl and similar materials," Panjaitan said.
Central Java and Yogyakarta endured 131 days without rain, more than four months.
The BMKG said El Niño influenced the conditions. "We will continue to evaluate preparedness and mitigation, including determining the next step going forward," Panjaitan said.
BMKG Head Teuku Faisal Fathani earlier said the Pacific sea surface temperature anomaly hit +2.63 degrees, a very strong El Niño projected to last until early 2027.
BMKG forecasts a delayed rainy season start in most of Indonesia, covering 529 seasonal zones (ZOM), or 61.08% of Indonesia's land area.
The rains should arrive gradually from November 2026 in 185 ZOMs (24.66%) and December in 266 ZOMs (17.31%).
Accumulated rainfall in 510 ZOMs (69.76%) is predicted to remain normal despite the delayed start.
The rainy season peak is expected gradually: December 2026 in 155 ZOMs (36.94%), January 2027 in 162 (25.68%) and February 2027 in 190 (16.79%).
BMKG also predicts a shorter-than-normal rainy season in 482 ZOMs.
Source: Emirates News Agency