Flood in Grobogan Regency: The Facts and Risk Handling

A flood in Grobogan Regency is classified as a hydrometeorological disaster after being hit by extreme rain. Its impact is extreme and has hit several sub-districts in Grobogan. The extreme rain occurs for two days in Grobogan Regency. Water levels rose, and embankments broke, causing several rivers to overflow. Its impact was massive.

Facts of the Flood in Grobogan Regency

A serious threat emerges after extreme rain has occurred. The disaster risks are increasing. Grobogan Regency is one of the affected areas by a flood. Here are some facts about it.

1. Caused by Prolonged Heavy Rain

Two days of heavy rain in Grobogan Regency have increased water levels. Rivers, as reservoirs for water, eventually overflowed. A flood occurred. Among the rivers affected were the Glugu, Lusi, Kali Jajar, Tuntang, and Cabean rivers.

2. Massive Impact

A terrible rain in Grobogan caused flooding and submerged eleven sub-districts. The flood submerged 45 villages with 9,736 families. Along four rivers, seven embankments broke due to the massive flood. Moreover, agricultural land was damaged and submerged, leaving the residents at risk of crop failure.

3. Comprehensive Handling

To realize the effectiveness of post-disaster recovery, responsive disaster risk management is needed. The management approach is comprehensive because it is based on coordination involving various parties.

Grobogan Regency and Central Java Province, as local governments, have a collaboration with BPBD. In addition, there is collaboration with other relevant parties. These various parties have focused on Public Works, Health, Social Affairs, Agriculture, and Education.

Risk Handling

The handling of the flood in Grobogan Regency is very effective and optimized. That is because of the collaboration between the government and related parties. Here are some concrete examples of this comprehensive response.

1. Active Monitoring and Coordination

A comprehensive response can be achieved through active monitoring and coordination. Relevant officials, including the BPBD in Grobogan Regency, receive and verify disaster reports, intensively monitor through disaster communication networks, collect data, and coordinate with various parties regarding evacuations and emergency response (river embankment elevation and river cleanup).

2. Providing Refugee Areas

Residents from several sub-districts were evacuated because of the complex impact of the flood in Grobogan. The Grobogan Regency Government has prepared some refugee areas. Their need for shelter is temporary, even though they must share a place with others.

3. Aid Distribution

In evacuation centers, flood victims await aid. Collaborate with the task force, the local government distributed various aid items. Basic need is a priority, such as food, supplies, drinks, and clothing. Emergency supplies, such as medicine, aromatherapy, and first aid kits, are also distributed. The needs of injured victims can be addressed immediately with this equipment.

4. Psychological Aid

The arrival of natural disasters, such as floods, naturally causes anxiety. Not only material losses, but they also experience psychological stress. The combination of fear and anxiety over all the risks and security concerns leads to emotional turmoil. Local governments also provide psychological support to victims in need.

5. Handling Material Risks

The crucial part, besides the residential areas, public facilities, and infrastructure, is the agricultural areas. The resident who had the area was threatened by crop failure. That is because the land was submerged and damaged by a flood. So, they are in job losses and material losses temporarily before all are back to normal conditions.

In response, the Central Java Agriculture and Livestock Service is recording and verifying each affected plot of land. If crop failure is detected, farmers will receive insurance claims for losses caused by natural disasters. Farmers who have not yet registered as insurance participants are encouraged to register their land immediately.

6. Warning to be Alert

BPBD continues to monitor the situation in affected areas to optimize flood disaster management and subsequent evacuations. They are monitoring the weather development. The monitoring result is the weather forecasts. It becomes a warning to increase public awareness of the potential for rain and further flooding.

The government is handling the flood in Grobogan Regency with great seriousness. This is evident in the many aid programs distributed through coordination with all parties. For future improvements, the government needs a hydrometeorological disaster warning system. Its function is to inform the public about potential disasters, including a flood.

Currently, an emergency message-sending machine based on SMS (Short Message Service) is available. It has a wide range of up to 2 km for all operators. This machine allows the simultaneous sending of messages to multiple mobile phones in real-time. This specific machine can be purchased at smsbroadcaster.com.