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Entering the rainy season, Indonesia must prepare for flood attacks. Especially areas that are almost never absent every year for floods, such as Jakarta, Bekasi, and their surroundings. The threat of flooding this time is different from previous years because it is feared that it will increase the risk of transmitting COVID-19.

Both the Government and the community must start preparing mitigation before the peak of the rainy season arrives. Moreover, BMKG reported the possibility of La Nina, a climate anomaly that causes high rainfall in Indonesia. This agency has warned of the possibility of extreme weather occurring during the September to October transition period in several regions of Indonesia, particularly West Java.

During the transition period, it is estimated that heavy rain accompanied by lightning may occur from September 22 to September 28. The rainy season in Indonesia will start gradually at the end of October, most parts of Indonesia are predicted to experience the peak of the rainy season in January and February 2021.

Will flooding increase the risk of contracting COVID-19? What is the most possible prevention in dealing with flooding during this pandemic?

Double risk of disasters, floods during the COVID-19 pandemic

The rainy season during this pandemic requires a much harder preparation effort. If a flood occurs there will be multiple risks to public health.

1. It is difficult to prevent transmission of COVID-19 in flood evacuations

"We are in serious trouble if there is a flood during the current COVID-19 pandemic," said Tri Maharani, an emergency medicine specialist, to Hello Sehat (23/4).

According to Maharani, refugee camps will be very vulnerable locations as a source of COVID-19 transmission. Based on years of experience in Indonesia experiencing disasters, typical refugee camps are always the same. Tents, classrooms, mosques, or village halls that serve as places to evacuate flood victims are always full and it is difficult to keep their distance.

During the Jakarta floods earlier this year, for example, the displacement at the Borobudur University Mosque was occupied by 926 refugees from Cipinang Melayu East Jakarta residents. This number includes the elderly and pregnant women who are vulnerable to COVID-19.

"Of course, refugee camps during a pandemic must be better prepared. If there is a flood later and the refugees are put in shelters as usual, it's just a matter of waiting disaster bigger disease, ”said Maharani, who is often assigned to disaster sites.

In such shelters, refugees are not only unable to do so physical distancing , but it is difficult to find clean water and hygienic food.

2. Disease threat and decreased immune system

Common diseases that arise in refugee camps during disasters are also a threat if floods come when the COVID-19 pandemic is out of control.

Disease spreads rapidly in catastrophic floods. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), flooding has the potential to increase disease transmission including:

• Water-borne diseases such as typhoid fever (typhoid) and leptospirosis are diseases transmitted by rat urine.
• Diseases transmitted by intermediate (vector) animals such as dengue fever and malaria.

Other disease risks that arise during flooding are respiratory infections, influenza, skin diseases and diarrhea.

"If they get sick during a pandemic like this it could be twice disaster That is the disease from COVID-19 and from the flood, ”said Doctor Maha, Maharani's nickname.

In addition, the conditions of shelter and the stress of flooding can weaken the immune systems of the refugees. Their bodies are becoming increasingly susceptible to disease both from bacteria and viruses.

COVID-19 Outbreak updates Country: IndonesiaData

1,024,298

Confirmed

831,330

Recovered

28,855

DeathDistribution Map

Some things can still be done to prevent this

Being hit by multiple disasters at the same time is not a rare phenomenon, but COVID-19 has underlined the need for systemic resilience and the need for a more effective emergency response.

Before major floods in flood-prone locations that became the red zone for COVID-19 occurred, Maharani advised the government and the community to make several preparations.

1. Prepare clean emergency water and portable toilets

Sanitation is almost always a major problem in disaster management. Lack of clean water and toilets will be a source of disease, not only flood diseases but also prevention of COVID-19 transmission because cleanliness is the main thing that must be maintained.

"Do not let the flood just look for clean water and toilets, because that is the key to cleanliness and disease prevention. When there is no water, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting will easily attack, "said Maharani.

2. Prepare the most appropriate shelter that can be prepared

According to Maharani, the evacuation place must be a location that is safe from disasters. So the government can start preparing a strategy for evacuating residents whose areas are prone to flooding.

"If you need to prepare a hotel, it does not need a good one, the important thing is to maintain distance and maintain health," said Maharani. This is especially true for flood-prone areas and currently a red zone for the transmission of COVID-19, such as Jakarta, Bekasi and their surroundings.

Maharani regretted that Indonesia did not have it shelter or special disaster shelter. Even though it is known that our country is a country prone to natural disasters. Early last week, for example, Sukabumi was already hit by a flood and was forced to use the prayer room as a place of refuge.

The government, in this case BNPB, said that currently it will continue to prioritize the protocol for preventing the transmission of COVID-19 in response to flood disasters.

"BNPB has issued a circular to the local government so that they can maintain distance in the evacuation camps, health protocols must be carried out," said BNPB's head of public relations, Raditya Jati, to Hello Sehat, Wednesday (23/9).

"In Sukabumi yesterday there were volunteers who distributed masks and used loudspeakers to remind people to keep their distance," he continued.

3. Prepare hygienic instant food

It is hoped that hygienic drinking water and instant food will be consumed by the refugees in the early days of the disaster. So as to avoid exchanging cutlery and avoid cooking with unclean facilities.

"Don't use instant noodles because this will further reduce the refugee's immune system," said Raditya Jati.

4. The community is ready to be evacuated

The community is expected to cooperate with officers to evacuate before the flood conditions worsen. For this reason, those in flood-prone areas are asked to begin packing and securing securities.