El Niño Strengthens, Indonesia Faces Potential Impact Until October 2026

Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has announced a prediction that the El Niño phenomenon is strengthening and is likely to persist until October 2026. This outlook raises concerns across Indonesia regarding its potential impact, particularly on agriculture, water resource management, and infrastructure. El Niño is a phenomenon characterized by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, influencing climate patterns globally. In Indonesia, it tends to cause reduced rainfall and increased temperatures, heightening the risk of droughts and water scarcity. This can directly impact the harvest yields of staple crops, including rice. Furthermore, depletion of water resources could affect the supply of industrial and domestic water, potentially rippling through the entire economy. Infrastructure concerns include the impact on hydropower generation due to decreased river flow and potential land subsidence in some areas from soil drying. In response to the prediction of a prolonged El Niño, the BMKG is urging relevant agencies to promptly implement drought mitigation measures, promote efficient water resource utilization, and provide support to the agricultural sector. The agency also plans to request public cooperation, such as practicing water conservation.