Waters Of The North Natuna Sea Potentially High Waves Up To 6 Meters

Illustration. High waves accompany children playing on Meninting Beach, Batulayar, Lombok, NTB. (Between-Ahmad S)

JAKARTA - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) warned coastal communities adjacent to the North Natuna Sea to be aware of high waves of up to six meters. Potential also occurs at a number of water points in Indonesia.

"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 Maritime Meteorology Center, BMKG, Eko Prasetyo, confirmed, Monday, December 12, as reported by Antara.

Eko explained in more detail, wind patterns are one of the factors that trigger high waves.

Wind patterns in the northern part of Indonesia are dominantly moving from the Northwest-Northeast with wind speeds ranging from 5-25 knots, while in the southern part of Indonesia, the dominant movement is from the Northeast-Southeast with wind speeds ranging from 5-20 knots.

Eko continued, the highest wind speed was observed in the North Natuna Sea, the waters of the Anambas Islands- Natuna Islands and the western waters of the Mentawai Islands.

This condition, he continued, led to an opportunity to increase waves as high as 1.25-2.5 meters in the waters north of Sabang, the western waters of Aceh, the western and eastern waters of Simeulue Island, Bengkulu waters, the western waters of Lampung, the western and southern Sunda Strait.

Furthermore, the southern Sunda Strait, southern waters of Banten-P. Sumba, southern Bali-Lombok-Alas Strait, Talaud Islands waters, northern Maluku Sea, northern Halmahera waters, Halmahera Sea, northern waters of West Papua-Papua, North Pacific Ocean Halmahera-Papua.

For waves in the higher range of 2.5-4 meters, it is likely to occur in the waters of the Anambas Islands- Natuna Islands, the western waters of the Nias Islands-Mentawai Islands, West Indian Ocean, Nias Islands-Lampung, South Indian Ocean Java.

Meanwhile, very high waves in the range of 4-6 meters are likely to occur in the North Natuna Sea.

"The high wave has the potential to occur in several water areas on December 12-13, 2022," said Eko.

For this reason, Eko also requested that the shipping sector pay attention to high risks 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).

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