Warning Of High Waves Up To 4 Meters In Indonesian Waters

Photo Illustration: Antara

JAKARTA - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) appealed to people who are active in coastal areas to be aware of the potential for high waves of up to four meters in a number of Indonesian waters on January 21-22, 2024.

"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 BMKG Maritime Meteorology Center Eko Prasetyo, Antara, Sunday, January 21.

He said the wind pattern in northern Indonesia generally moves from the north-north of the sea with wind speeds ranging from 6-25 knots. Meanwhile, in the southern part of Indonesia, it generally moves from the southwest-northwest at a speed of 6-30 knots.

"The highest wind speed was observed in the Java Sea, Banda Sea, Seram Sea, Sorong South Waters, Fakfak-Kaimana Waters, Sermata-Tanimbar Waters, and Kai-Aru Kep. Waters," he explained.

This condition, he said, caused an opportunity to increase waves as high as 1.25-2.5 meters in the western waters of Simeulue Island to the Mentawai Islands, the waters of Enggano Island, the waters of Bengkulu to the west of Lampung, the western Indian Ocean of Sumatra, the southern and western part of the Sunda Strait, the southern waters of Banten to East Java.

Then the southern Bali-Badung-Lombok-Alas Strait, Sumba Strait, Sawu Sea, Kupang-Pulau Rote waters, southern Indian Ocean Banten to Central Java, North Natuna Sea, Anambas Islands waters to the Natuna Islands, eastern waters of the Bintan Islands, Natuna Sea, Karimata Strait, Java Sea, Sumbawa Sea, Sabalana Islands waters to Selayar Islands, Flores Sea, North Flores waters.

Then in the southern waters of Wakatobi, the western Seram Sea, the waters of Buru Island, the waters of the Leti Islands to the Babar Islands, the waters of the Kai Islands to the Aru Islands, the Arafuru Sea, the southern Makassar Strait, the Sulawesi Sea, the Sitaro Islands waters, Bitung-Likupang waters, the southern Maluku Sea, the northern waters of the Sula Islands, the Banggai waters, and the Raja Ampat-Sorong waters.

Meanwhile, waves in the higher range of 2.5-4.0 meters are likely to occur in the Indian Ocean south of East Java to NTT, the waters of the Sangihe Islands to the Talaud Islands, the waters of the Sitaro Islands to Bitung, the northern Maluku Sea, the Banda Sea, the Halmahera waters, the Halmahera Sea, the eastern Seram Sea, the northern waters of the Tanimbar Islands, the northern waters of West Papua to Papua, the waters of South Sorong, the waters of Fakfak, and the northern Pacific Ocean of Halmahera to Papua.

For this reason, he also asked to pay attention to the high risk to the safety of fishing boats if the wind speed is more than 15 knots and the wave height is above 1.25 meters and the barge if the wind speed is more than 16 knots and the wave height is above 1.5 meters.

Then ferries if the wind speed is more than 21 knots and the wave height is above 2.5 meters and large ships such as cargo ships/cruise ships if the wind speed is more than 27 knots and the wave height is above four meters.