BMKG: There Is A Potential For 4 Meter High Waves In The Natuna Sea Until February 18

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reports that the potential for high waves in the North Natuna Sea, Riau Islands which reaches four meters will last until February 18, 2024, so that shipping service actors or providers are advised to increase vigilance.

"North Natuna sea has a wave height of 2.5 meters to 4.0 meters, potentially until Sunday, February 18, so please pay attention to the high risk to shipping safety," said BMKG forecaster Amryuda Mas Nalendra in an official report in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Saturday, February 17.

He explained that the BMKG analysis found that the wind pattern was one of the factors that affected the high sea waves, along with the impact of the active Rossby-Kelvin equatorial waves to the Asian Monsun activity.

With this pattern, the northern part of Indonesia generally moves from the north-north of the sea with wind speeds ranging from 6-25 knots, while in the southern part of Indonesia it generally moves from the west of the middle to sea at a speed of 4-25 knots.

"The highest wind speed was observed in the North Natuna Sea. Then the Makassar Strait and the Arafuru Sea," he said.

So, according to him, due to this condition, shipping actors and the party holding the marine shipping safety authority need to pay attention to high risks.

The classification includes fishing boats (wind speeds of more than 15 knots and wave heights above 1.25 meters), barges (wind speeds of more than 16 knots and wave heights above 1.5 meters), ferries (wind speeds of more than 21 knots and wave heights above 2.5 meters), and large ships such as cargo ships or cruise ships (wind speeds of more than 27 knots and wave heights above 4.0 meters).

"Through this early warning, BMKG hopes that people who live and work on the coast around areas that have the opportunity for high waves to remain vigilant," he said.

Previously, a fishing pompong boat was reported to have sunk due to being hit by waves in the waters of Pulau Panjang District, Natuna, Riau Islands, Saturday.

Head of the Operations Section of the Natuna Budiman Basarnas Office said that the fishing pompong boat was manned by two residents of Pulau Panjang.

According to him, the ship measuring three GT sank on its way from Serasan to Pulau Panjang after losing its balance due to being hit by sea waves.

However, he confirmed that there were no casualties in the incident. The victims were rescued by local fishermen, after being found floating in a fiber box by other fishermen this morning, and currently the victims have been evacuated by the Basarnas team.