by germainebull » 02 Dec 2025, 13:46
This story of deadly floods in Indonesia has been very intense and the truth is that deforestation has contributed badly. Researchers say that the trees on the mountains act like a sponge, catching a little rain before it falls and the roots hold the soil. Now, when the trees are cut down, the water quickly flows down into the rivers and causes flash floods.
Indonesia lost more than 200,000 hectares of forest last year alone due to plantation mining and logging. This has left the slopes bare and when the rain falls, it carries everything until the timber is washed away. The government has admitted that the problem is serious and President Prabowo has said that it is necessary to protect the forests.
The Ministry of Environment has started investigating illegal logging and they say this is an opportunity to adjust policies. Minister Raja Juli Antoni has said that the balance between economy and ecology has gone too far in the direction of the economy and must be returned to the middle.
Activists also say that large projects such as mining and the Batang Toru hydropower project are increasing vulnerability. They insist that the restoration of degraded land is important because erosion raises riverbeds and reduces the capacity of rivers. In the end, when the rains come, it becomes a major disaster.
source: firstpost
This story of deadly floods in Indonesia has been very intense and the truth is that deforestation has contributed badly. Researchers say that the trees on the mountains act like a sponge, catching a little rain before it falls and the roots hold the soil. Now, when the trees are cut down, the water quickly flows down into the rivers and causes flash floods.
Indonesia lost more than 200,000 hectares of forest last year alone due to plantation mining and logging. This has left the slopes bare and when the rain falls, it carries everything until the timber is washed away. The government has admitted that the problem is serious and President Prabowo has said that it is necessary to protect the forests.
The Ministry of Environment has started investigating illegal logging and they say this is an opportunity to adjust policies. Minister Raja Juli Antoni has said that the balance between economy and ecology has gone too far in the direction of the economy and must be returned to the middle.
Activists also say that large projects such as mining and the Batang Toru hydropower project are increasing vulnerability. They insist that the restoration of degraded land is important because erosion raises riverbeds and reduces the capacity of rivers. In the end, when the rains come, it becomes a major disaster.
source: firstpost
