Baluran National Park Tourism Objects Temporarily Closed Due To Heavy Rain And Strong Winds

JAKARTA - The nature tourist attraction of the Baluran Situbondo National Park, East Java is temporarily closed to visitors on March 16-18, 2024 or for three days the impact of extreme weather heavy rain and strong winds, causing a number of trees to fall along tourist routes.

Public Relations of the Balaran Situbondo National Park Office, Joko Mulyono, explained that the temporary closure of natural tourism objects in Banyuputih District, Situbondo was carried out as an effort to reduce the risk of natural disasters because along the tourist route previously there were a number of fallen trees.

"Starting from the Batangan route, Bekol to Bama Beach has the potential for trees to fall when heavy rains are accompanied by strong winds. A few days ago there were several fallen trees, thank God they did not hit tourists," he said in Situbondo, East Java, quoted from Antara, Saturday, March 16.

Therefore, said Joko, the temporary closure of the natural tourism visit, dubbed Africa van Java, was an effort to mitigate disasters because according to the commemoration of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), extreme weather forecasts for heavy rain and strong winds will occur until March 18.

With the temporary closure of this tourist visit activity, according to him, Baluran National Park officers will focus on cleaning tree branches along the tourist attraction route because previously there have been several fallen trees.

"Previously it was the dry season, and when suddenly the heavy rain of the soil became loose, plus strong winds caused trees to fall easily," said Joko.

Joko Mulyono added that the Baluran National Park tourist visit is expected to reopen on March 18, but depending on weather conditions.

"If indeed the weather has improved on March 18, 2024, of course it will be reopened, and vice versa, if the weather is not favorable, it will be reconsidered," he said.