BNPB data show NTT facing dual risks of drought, floods and landslides

Kupang — — Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has repeatedly highlighted East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) as a province facing both drought and growing exposure to wet-weather hazards such as floods and landslides, but there is no evidence of a new BNPB briefing on 18 September 2026 specifically stating that wet-weather disasters have risen over the past three to four years.

Statements by senior BNPB officials and recent risk assessments confirm that NTT is experiencing significant hydrometeorological threats alongside its long‑standing water scarcity problems.

BNPB data compiled in the 2023 Indonesian Disaster Risk Index (IRBI) show that NTT recorded 113 disaster events in 2023, dominated by extreme weather, floods and forest and land fires, with floods, landslides and drought all listed among the province’s key hazards according to the national risk index for that year.

The agency’s broader analysis for 2023 notes that 99.1% of recorded disasters across Indonesia were hydrometeorological in nature, with 92.5% classified as “wet” hydrometeorological events such as floods, extreme weather and landslides, and 6.6% as “dry” hydrometeorological events including drought and forest and land fires, underscoring a nationwide pattern of weather‑driven disasters that also affects NTT.

BNPB warnings on NTT

BNPB has frequently cited NTT as a province of particular concern in its public advisories, reflecting both dry‑season wildfire and drought risks and rainy‑season flood and landslide threats.

In a September 2026 media report, BNPB spokesperson Abdul Muhari warned that torrential rains had triggered floods and landslides in several Indonesian regions including East Nusa Tenggara, where rising rivers and landslides affected multiple neighbourhoods.

Separately, in an analysis of concurrent flood and wildfire risks issued in mid‑September 2026, Abdul identified NTT as one of several provinces experiencing heavy rain and strong winds and urged local governments to strengthen preparedness for sudden floods, landslides and severe weather.

Earlier disaster bulletins from regional bodies also recorded repeated flood and landslide incidents in NTT. Weekly updates from the AHA Centre for early February 2023 noted BNPB reports of flooding, landslides and storm impacts in East Nusa Tenggara driven by moderate to heavy rainfall and overflowing rivers.

A province with dual water risks

While NTT is widely described in national and regional reporting as a dry province with difficult water conditions, NTT’s disaster profile shows substantial exposure to both drought and intense rainfall.

The IRBI 2023 documentation for NTT lists high risk indices for floods, landslides, drought, extreme waves and forest and land fires, indicating that the province faces multiple overlapping hazards rather than a single dominant type.

Collaborative seasonal monitoring bulletins involving the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) and partners have also highlighted the region’s vulnerability to extended dry seasons and potential drought while warning that extreme rainfall events can still occur, adding complexity to local disaster management planning.

BNPB leadership has linked the national increase in hydrometeorological disasters to broader climatic factors. In a June 2023 statement, the agency’s head said climate change was driving a rise in disaster incidents, with wet‑weather hazards such as floods and landslides dominating national statistics.

Data gaps and evolving trends

Available official documents and independent reports provide clear evidence that NTT is frequently hit by floods, landslides and extreme weather, but they do not yet offer a detailed, year‑by‑year public breakdown that would allow a precise calculation of trends over the “past three to four years” in every district.

BNPB has verified that NTT is among the provinces submitting validated disaster incident data, and national datasets show hydrometeorological events rising in aggregate, yet the extent to which this reflects changing weather patterns, land use, exposure or improvements in reporting remains an open question requiring further technical study.

For communities and local authorities, the practical implication of BNPB’s current guidance is that NTT’s dry‑season conditions should not be interpreted as an absence of flood and landslide risk.

Recent advisories emphasise the need for preparedness against both drought and sudden wet‑weather disasters, particularly as heavy rainfall, strong winds and anomalous atmospheric patterns develop over parts of the Indonesian archipelago.

Sources

• Indonesian Disaster Risk Index (IRBI) 2023 – East Nusa Tenggara page
• AHA Centre Weekly Disaster Update 30 January – 5 February 2023
• BMKG/WFP Indonesia Seasonal Monitoring Bulletin Q1 2023
• Indonesian National Police article summarising BNPB data for Q1 2023 disasters
• Pantau.com report “Anomali Cuaca Picu Banjir dan Karhutla Serentak, BNPB Imbau Pemda Tingkatkan Kesiapsiagaan”
• MARD disaster site article summarising flash floods in Indonesia