BMKG: Communities Of Pantai Persisir Asked To Be Alert To 6 Metis High Waves

High wave illustration

JAKARTA - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) appealed to coastal or coastal communities to be aware of the potential for high waves of up to six meters in several Indonesian waters.

"We ask people who live and work on the coast around areas where high waves are likely to occur to remain vigilant," said Head of the Center for Maritime Meteorology, BMKG, Eko Prasetyo, quoted by ANTARA, Friday, February 10.

He conveyed that high waves that have the potential in some areas of the waters are expected to occur on 10-11 February 2023 in line with wind speed patterns.

He said the wind pattern in northern Indonesia was dominantly moving from the north-northeast with wind speeds ranging from 5-20 knots, while in southern Indonesia, the dominant movement was from the west-northwest with wind speeds ranging from 5-35 knots.

"The highest wind speed was observed in the Banda Sea, the waters of the Tanimbar Islands-Aru Islands, Amamapare-Agats and Arafuru Sea waters," he explained.

This condition, said Eko Prasetyo, led to an opportunity to increase waves as high as 1.25-2.5 meters in the waters north of Sabang, western Aceh waters, western waters of Simeulue Island-Nias Islands, Mentawai Islands waters, Enggano Island-Bengkulu waters, southern Lampung Bay, West Indian Ocean Aceh-Nias Islands, southern Bali-Lombok-Alas-Sape Strait, Sumba Strait, Savu Sea, Ombai Strait and Wetar Strait, North Natuna Sea, waters north of the Natuna Islands, waters of the Thousand Islands.

Similar conditions also have the potential to occur in the waters north of Java, Java Sea, the waters of the Sabalana Islands-Selayar Islands, Sumbawa Sea, the waters north of Flores Island, the southern waters of Baubau-Wakatobi, the waters of Bitung-Likupang-Sitaro Islands, the waters of the Sangihe Islands-Talaud Islands, the Maluku Sea, the waters north of the Sula Islands, Seram Sea, the waters of Buru Island-Ambon Island, the waters north and east of Halmahera, Halmahera Sea, the waters of Raja Ampat-Manokwari-Biak, Sorong-Fakfak waters.

For waves in the higher range of 2.5-4 meters, it is likely to occur in the West Indian Ocean Mentawai Islands-Lampung, the western waters of Lampung, the western and southern Sunda Strait, the southern waters of Banten-Pulau Sumba, the southern waters of Sumba Island, the waters of Sawu-Kupang Island-Kupang Island- Rote Island, South Indian Ocean Banten-NTT, Flores Sea, Banda Sea, Sermata Islands waters. - Letti Islands-Babar Islands, Kaimana-Agats-Yos Sudarso waters, Merauke waters, Jayapura waters, the North Pacific Ocean of Papua.

For waves in the higher range of 4-6 meters, it is said that there is a chance to occur in the waters of the Tanimbar Islands, the waters of the Kai Islands of Aru, Arafuru Sea.

Therefore, he appealed to the shipping sector to pay attention to shipping safety such as fishing boats (wind speeds of more than 15 knots and wave heights above 1.25 m), barges (wind speeds of more than 16 knots and wave heights above 1.5 m).

In addition, ferries (wind speeds of more than 21 knots and wave heights above 2.5 m), large ships such as cargo ships or cruise ships (wind speeds of more than 27 knots and wave heights above 4 meters).