Disasters in Brunei

Brunei has a formally established disaster-management system. The National Disaster Management Centre (Pusat Pengurusan Bencana Kebangsaan) (NDMC), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, coordinates the national response; the National Disaster Council (Majlis Bencana Kebangsaan) (NDC) performs strategic tasks, while District Officers and the District Disaster Management Centres (Pusat Pengurusan Bencana Daerah) (DDMCs) organise work at district level. The Fire and Rescue Department (Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat) (JBP), Royal Brunei Police Force (Pasukan Polis Diraja Brunei) (PPDB), Emergency Medical Ambulance Services (EMAS), Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), Public Works Department (Jabatan Kerja Raya) (JKR), Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department (BDMD), the Electricity Department, municipalities and relief organisations take on different responsibilities depending on the situation. The most common hazards include river and coastal flooding, flash floods, storm surges, heavy rain, thunderstorms, landslides, falling trees and damaged roofs. Forest and bush fires can cause smoke; prolonged dry conditions and heatwaves, power or water outages, building and industrial fires, and chemical or oil accidents also remain relevant. Earthquakes and tsunamis occur less often but must be considered in safety procedures. Risk increases in low-lying coastal and Brunei Bay settlements; Tutong and Belait are particularly affected by flooding. The northeast monsoon brings more rain approximately from October to January, with December usually the wettest month. Drier periods often occur in February and March; El Niño can intensify dryness, while La Niña can increase rainfall. The Disaster Management Order 2006, Cap. 293, provides a central legal basis. The responsible minister may declare a disaster; the declaration generally remains in force for up to seven days and may be extended or ended earlier. During a declared disaster, a Rescue Officer may reasonably enter property, search, recover, remove hazards and direct people away from a danger zone. Authorities may also order the use of property; statutory requirements on purpose and possible compensation apply. The National Disaster Management Plan sets out strategy, responsibilities, coordination, likely events and priorities. Preparedness includes the Disaster Management Strategic Preparedness Framework 2025, the National Disaster Response and Preparedness Plan, which is being updated, and the National Incident and Disaster Response Plan as a reference for stocks and capabilities. The country conducts exercises and training, including Localised Basic Knowledge (LBK-26) with NDMC and JBP, Community-Based Disaster Risk Management with 454 participants between April 2025 and February 2026, and School-Based Disaster Risk Management with 2,131 students. A planned search-and-rescue team for severe structural damage, SATREA, must not be treated as an already available national capability; its development is planned for 2028 to 2030. For households, an emergency bag, a family and neighbourhood plan, keeping drains clear, and storing valuables and vehicles above possible flood levels are sensible measures. BDMD publishes official weather and hazard warnings through met.gov.bn, the Brunei weather-warning service (Brunei WX), official social channels and Weather Line 114. The colour code means yellow for increased attention, amber for preparedness and red for immediate action. Warnings may concern heavy rain, thunderstorms, flash floods, strong winds, rough seas, smoke or heat. JBP continuously monitors water levels and hazards; earthquakes can occur without warning. When natural tsunami signs appear, immediately move to higher ground or a tall building. Do not go to the coast to observe the event, and wait for a possible second wave. For urgent assistance, call 995 for JBP Fire and Rescue, 991 for ambulance and EMAS, 993 for PPDB and 998 for Search and Rescue. The Talian Darussalam government contact line (Talian Darussalam) at 123 connects people with general government contacts; flooding and road damage can be reported through 123 or JKR at 140, and electricity problems through 123 or the Electricity Department at 144. An emergency call should include the exact location, the type of hazard, affected people and safe access options. Do not drive through unknown or moving floodwater; avoid submerged cables and feeder pillars, and keep children away from drains and rivers. NDMC coordinates the government-wide and society-wide response. DDMCs and local Incident Command Posts lead work on the ground, while JBP handles rescue and firefighting and RBAF may support humanitarian and disaster-related tasks. During floods, for example, transport capacity for evacuees and rations was provided in Tutong; in Belait, sandbags and tarpaulins were used for Suri Seri Begawan Hospital. Evacuation takes place on official instruction or, when there is immediate danger, through self-rescue. Temporary accommodation may be provided in a temporary evacuation centre (Pusat Pemindahan Sementara Evakuasi, PPSe), community halls or local community halls (Dewan-Kemasyarakatan). No publicly complete list of all centres and capacities is available for Brunei, and a general application procedure for evacuation assistance has not been established in the reviewed information. After a flood or other disaster, return only after a safety clearance. Buildings, slopes, roads, cables and electrical installations must be checked; damaged electrical appliances must not be used until a qualified professional has inspected the wiring. Damage to waterways, roads or buildings can be reported through 123 or 140, and electricity damage through 123 or 144. Transport, food, sandbags, tarpaulins and community assistance are distributed on a case-by-case basis. The reviewed information does not specify a general government lump-sum compensation payment or fixed response deadline. Statutory compensation may nevertheless apply when authorities use or damage property under Cap. 293. JKR is improving flood resilience, including by dredging and widening rivers, tributaries and retention basins over approximately 30.4 kilometres between 21 February 2026 and 20 February 2029. Around 700 hydrants were also replaced between 2024 and early 2026.