Indonesia: Disruptions due to flooding ongoing in parts of Aceh and West Sumatra provinces as of Jan. 24

Event

Disruptions due to flooding are ongoing across parts of Aceh and West Sumatra provinces as of Jan. 24. Heavy rainfall Jan. 23-24 has triggered flooding and several landslides across parts of Padang Pariaman Regency in West Sumatra Province. Authorities have reported two fatalities and five others have been injured amid the adverse weather. Around 3,750 people have been displaced by the flooding and around 150 homes and other buildings have been damaged. A number of roads in the area have been made impassable by floodwaters and power outages have also been reported.

More than 20,000 people have been displaced across parts of Aceh Province due to flooding triggered by heavy rainfall over recent weeks. Bireuern Regency is amongst the worst-affected areas, with more than 7,000 people displaced across 13 districts. Other affected regencies include Aceh Tamiang, East Aceh, North Aceh, Pidie, and Pidie Jaya. River levels remain high across much of the affected areas and several landslides have been reported.

As of Jan. 24, the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics (BMKG) has issued orange flood warnings (the middle level on a three-tier scale) for Aceh province Jan. 24-26 and orange heavy rainfall and thunderstorm warnings Jan. 24, with yellow rainfall and thunderstorm warnings issued for Jan. 25-26. Yellow heavy rainfall and flood warnings have been issued for West Sumatra Jan. 24 and yellow thunderstorm warnings Jan. 25. Authorities will likely issue new alerts or update/rescind existing advisories as weather conditions change over the coming days.

Hazardous Conditions
Further sustained heavy rainfall could trigger additional, flooding in low-lying communities near rivers, streams, and creeks. Coastal flooding is also possible during high tides. Urban flooding is also possible in developed areas with easily overwhelmed stormwater drainage systems. Sites located downstream from large reservoirs or rivers may be subject to flash flooding after relatively short periods of intense rainfall. Landslides are possible in hilly or mountainous areas, especially where heavy rainfall has saturated the soil. Power outages could occur throughout the affected area.

Transport
Floodwaters and debris flows may render some bridges, rail networks, or roadways impassable, impacting overland travel in and around affected areas. Ponding on road surfaces could also cause hazardous driving conditions on regional highways. Authorities could temporarily close some low-lying routes that become inundated by floodwaters.

The disruptive weather may cause delays and cancellations at airports across the affected area. Authorities may temporarily suspend port operations if strong winds trigger hazardous sea conditions, impacting freight and passenger maritime traffic. Flooding could block regional rail lines; freight and passenger train delays and cancellations are possible in areas with heavy rainfall and track blockages.

Disruptions triggered by inclement weather and resultant hazards, such as flooding, could persist well after conditions have improved - it could take days before any floodwaters recede and/or officials clear debris. If there is severe damage to infrastructure, repair or reconstruction efforts may result in residual disruptions.

Advice

Seek updated information on weather and related disruptions, including road conditions, before driving or routing shipments through areas where severe weather is forecast. Plan accordingly for potential freight delivery delays if routing shipments by truck through the affected area. Do not attempt to drive through flooded areas. Charge battery-powered devices if prolonged electricity outages occur.

Resources

Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics
Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics (Twitter)
Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management