Indonesia says Sumatra, Kalimantan at risk of floods

Reuters: Indonesia's commodity-rich Sumatra and Kalimantan regions are among areas at high risk of flooding in December, the state weather agency said on Monday. The agency said the country's rainy season is expected to peak in December and January.

The rainy season can impact output in Indonesia's agricultural and mineral sectors. A prolonged wet season last year hurt crops such as coffee and flooded coal mines.

"Parts of Indonesia has begun their rainy season in November (and) most of Indonesia's territory may have normal rain," said Sri Woro Hariyono, head of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency. "At coastal areas, there are higher potential for flood when sea water enters coastal areas. "There are 21 provinces with flood potential, of which 16 provinces have high flood potential."

Palace of the Sultan of Langkat during a banjir, Tanjungpura, from the Tropenmuseum Collection which can be found at Wikimedia Commons