Waves As High As 4 Meters With The Highest Potential For South Java-East Java Waters, Feri Ship Activities Asked To Be Alert

Illustration of ferries in Bangladesh. (Wikimedia Commons-Lonely Explorer)

JAKARTA - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) estimates that high waves in the range of 2.5-4 meters are likely to occur in the waters south of Central Java-East Java and a number of other Indonesian waters.

Head of the Maritime Meteorology Center, BMKG, Eko Prasetyo, told people in coastal areas to be aware of potential threats from the waters.

"People who live and work on the coast around areas that have the opportunity for high waves to remain vigilant," he said, confirmed in Jakarta, Friday, December 9, quoted from Antara.

He said the wind pattern in northern Indonesia was dominantly moving from the Northwest-Northeast with wind speeds ranging from 5-30 knots.

Meanwhile, in the southern part of Indonesia, it is dominant to move from Southeast-Southwest with wind speeds ranging from 5-20 knots. The highest wind speed was observed in the Malacca Strait, the eastern waters of North Aceh-North Sumatra and the North Natuna Sea.

"This condition causes an increase in high waves," he said.

Region and Potential of High Waves

Eko explained in more detail, waves as high as 1.25-2.5 meters are likely to occur in the Malacca Strait, the eastern waters of Simeulue Island, Bengkulu waters, southern Lampung Bay, southern waters of Banten-West Java.

Furthermore, the southern waters of Bali Island-Lombok-Sumbawa, Bali Strait, Lombok, southern Alas, southern Sape Strait, western Sumba Strait, southern waters of Sawu Island and southern Savu Sea.

Similar conditions also have the potential to occur in the waters of the South Indian Ocean NTB-NTT, the waters of the Anambas Islands- Natuna Islands, the waters of the Sangihe Islands-Talaud Islands, the northern Maluku Sea.

Then, the northern and eastern waters of the Halmahera Islands, Halmahera Sea, northern waters of West Papua-Papua, North Pacific Ocean Halmahera-Papua.

Meanwhile, higher waves in the 2.5-4 meters range are likely to occur in the West Indian Ocean Aceh-Mentawai Islands, West Indian Ocean Bengkulu-Lampung, northern waters of Sabang Island, western Aceh waters, western waters of the Mentawai Islands.

Including, the waters of Enggano Island, the western-south Sunda Strait, the western waters of Lampung, the southern waters of Banten-West Java, the South Indian Ocean Java-Bali, the North Natuna Sea.

"The potential for high waves in some areas is at risk of shipping safety," said Eko.

For this reason, he continued, BMKG urges the public to always be vigilant, especially for fishermen who are active in transportation modes 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).

Then, ferries (wind speeds over 21 knots and wave heights above 2.5 m), and large ships such as cargo ships/cruises (wind speeds over 27 knots and wave heights above 4 meters).