The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG)-Medan Office has urged North Sumatra's residents to stay alert to anticipate potential recurrence of flash floods and landslides in the province's certain areas within the next two days.
The tropical cyclone in Sri Lanka's atmosphere had turned to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal. This condition potentially triggered heavy downpours in certain areas of North Sumatra, the agency's climatologist, Utami Al Khairiyah, said here Sunday.
The rainstorm of moderate to heavy intensity potentially strikes North Sumatra's western slope, eastern and coastal areas, and mountainous regions, she said.
If the rainfall of mild to moderate intensity showers the upstream areas of riverbanks for long enough period of time, it would potentially trigger flooding in Medan.
The condition could also trigger landslides in certain areas of Asahan, Dairi, Deli Serdang, Humbang Hasundutan, Karo, Labuhanbatu, Labuhanbatu Selatan, Labuhanbatu Utara, Langkat, Mandailing Natal, Nias, Nias Barat, Nias Selatan, Nias Utara, Padang Lawas, Padang Lawas Utara, and Pakpak Barat Districts.
It could also trigger high waves in the waters of Nias and Sibolga, she added.
On Friday (December 4), flash floods swept through certain areas of the city and its outskirts affecting 5,965 residents, or 1,983 households, and killing five residents of Tanjung Selamat Village in Sunggal District, Deliserdang District.
The flooding was triggered by the overflowing of Belawan River following downpour in the affected areas on early Friday, according to Sunggal Subdistrict Head Ismail.
Ismail has pegged a possible rise in the number of fatalities since search efforts to rescue and evacuate flood victims were still underway.
The search and evacuation missions in disaster zones were conducted by a joint team of search and rescue workers from the North Sumatra Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), police, and SAR Agency, he remarked.
The floodwaters reached a height of two and three meters in certain areas, he noted.
The authorities reported that the flash floods swamped at least 140 houses in Tanjung Selamat Village, Ismail noted.
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Editor : Mahdani
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