BMKG: Famine in Central Papua Caused by Extreme Cold

Jakarta, MINA – The Indonesian Head of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Dwikorita Karnawati confirmed the famine in two districts in Puncak Regency, Central Papua, due to extreme cold weather. Based on his investigations, cases of frost and drought have indeed hit the central mountainous region of Papua several times.

In Puncak Regency, he continued, similar disasters had occurred in 2003, 2005, 2015 and 2002.

“The famine occurred because the residents’ food crops were damaged due to extreme cold temperatures,” Dwikorita said in Jakarta on Thursday as quoted from Republika.co.id.

In general, based on rainfall data for the 1991-2020 period, he continued, every June is the beginning of the dry season in Puncak Regency and Lanny Jaya Regency which are included in Season Zone (ZOM) 678. In this season zone, dry season generally occurs from June to September.

“As we know during the dry season, with clear skies due to the lack of clouds, solar radiation can reach the land surface to the maximum. At night, the energy due to solar radiation is released by the land surface which causes the land temperature to decrease or cool down quickly,” he said.

He explained that Puncak and Lanny Jaya Regencies are also supported by topographical factors which are at an altitude of more than 2,000 meters. As a result, nighttime temperatures in the dry season can drop drastically to freezing.

“This condition causes the phenomenon of frost, namely the freezing of dew water on the surface of the land. In agricultural areas, the dew on plant leaves experiences freezing which then disrupts plant health because the plants experience tissue damage,” he said.

He explained that if the frost phenomenon lasts for several days or weeks, the plants will die and this can trigger a famine. This is because residents in the two regencies rely on cassava and corn as a source of food.

“Episodes of this ice usually occur within a few days, but can occur several times during the dry season in locations with high topography such as in Puncak Regency, Papua,” said Dwikorita.

Special handling, he said, is usually done by watering food or horticultural crops. The goal, so that the frost does not damage the health of the plant. (T/RE1/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)