BMKG: Beware Of Potential High Waves Up To 4 Meters In Several Areas

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) appealed to coastal communities to be aware of the potential for high waves of up to four meters in several water areas on September 3-4, 2023.

"People who live and are active 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 in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Sunday, September 3.

He said the wind pattern was one of the causes of opportunities for high wave increase.

He said the wind pattern in northern Indonesia generally moves from the southeast-southwest with wind speeds ranging from 5-25 knots, while in southern Indonesia it generally moves from east-southeast with wind speeds ranging from 8-25 knots.

"The highest wind speed was observed in the western and southern part of the Sunda Strait, southern waters of Banten-West Java, Natuna Sea, southern Makassar Strait, Seram Sea, Arafuru Sea, and Yos Sudarso Bay," he explained.

This condition, he continued, led to opportunities for an increase in waves as high as 1.25-2.5 meters in the Malacca Strait, northern waters of Sabang, western waters of Aceh-Mentawai Islands, Bengkulu waters- Enggano Island-North Lampung Island, southern waters of West Java-East Java, southern waters of Bali-Sumbawa, southern Bali-Lombok-Alas Strait, southern waters of P. Sumba, P. Sawu-Kupang-P. Rotte waters, southern Sawu Sea, and southern Sape Strait.

Similar conditions also have the potential to occur in the South Indian Ocean, East Java-NTT, North Natuna Sea, Natuna Sea, Java Sea, Karimata Strait, waters north of East Java, southern Kalimantan waters, Kotabaru waters, and southern Makassar Strait.

Then in the waters of the Sabalana Islands-Selayar Islands, the eastern Flores Sea, the Wakatobi Islands waters, Manui-Kendari waters, the southern waters of the Banggai Islands-Sula Islands, the waters of the Sangihe Islands-Talaud Islands, Bitung-Likupang waters.

Then, the waters of the Sitaro Islands, the southern waters of North Sulawesi, the Maluku Sea, the Halmahera waters, the Halmahera Sea, the Seram Sea, the waters of Buru Island-Ambon Island- Seram Island, Banda Sea, the waters of the Sermata Islands-Kep. Babar-Tanimbar, the waters of the Kai Islands-Kep. Aru, the waters of Fakfak- Kaimana, the waters of Jayapura, the Arafuru Sea, and the North Pacific Ocean Halmahera-West Papua.

Waves in the higher range of 2.5-4 meters are likely to occur in the southern waters of Lampung, southern Sunda Strait, West Indian Ocean Mentawai Islands-Lampung, southern waters of Banten, and South Indian Ocean Banten-Central Java.

"Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the high risk to shipping safety," he said.