Aftershocks Are Predicted To Still Happen In North Aceh

A number of children swim in the flood that submerged Ampeh Village, Tanah Luas District, North Aceh/Antara

ACEH - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) of Malikussaleh Lhokseumawe Station, Aceh, predicts that aftershocks will occur in North Aceh Regency. This follows the high intensity of rain in the next week.

"In addition to the high intensity of rain, the flooding that occurred in North Aceh in the last few days was due to the geographical location of the area being downstream of the river flow from upstream in the highlands of Aceh," said Head of the BMKG Malikussaleh Station, Lhokseumawe Siswanto in Lhokseumawe, as reported by Antara, Monday, 15 November.

Siswanto explained that the weather developments in the next week in North Aceh Regency and Bener Meriah Regency, which are upstream of the river, are still dominated by rain with light to moderate intensity.

Even so, said Siswanto, it is forecasted that heavy rains will occur in a few days. This heavy rain has the potential to increase river water discharge which is feared to overflow and cause flooding.

"Although light to moderate intensity rains have been detected this week, it has lasted quite a long time. So there is also the potential for further flooding in North Aceh," said Siswanto. Bener Meriah was badly damaged by a landslide.

"We urge the public not to be careless and remain alert to potential natural disasters such as floods and landslides. We also ask to increase mitigation to reduce the impact if a disaster occurs," said Siswanto.

He also appealed to fishermen who go to sea to be more alert to sea waves. The height of the sea waves reaches two and a half meters and is dangerous for small boats.

"Traditional fishermen are expected to go to sea below a distance of 10 kilometers from the shoreline because a comulonimbus cloud has been detected which can endanger activities at sea," said Siswanto.