No storm on RI's horizon but stay alert, says BMG<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
Urging the public not to panic, the Meteorology and Geophysics
\nAgency (BMG) has said there are no tropical storms approaching
\nIndonesia, but warned the public to remain alert.<\/p>\n
The head of the BMG forecast and service division, Achmad
\nZakir, said on Monday the tropical storm currently building in
\nAustralian waters would not hit Indonesia as storms naturally
\ndrew away from the equator.<\/p>\n
\"There are no indications of a tropical storm coming. The
\nstorm in Australian waters will move south, away from the
\nequator,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Zakir said the high winds and waves now hitting Indonesia's
\nsouthern coastal areas were the normal results of a nearby storm,
\nand estimated they would subside in the next few days.<\/p>\n
\"When a storm is growing, it is normal for the wind to pick up
\nand subsequently the waves to grow taller. But there is no big
\nstorm coming, let alone a tsunami,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A employee in the BMG maritime meteorology division, Fachri
\nRadjab, said three-meter tall waves were seen on Monday in the
\nArafuru Sea and along the southern coast of Nusa Tenggara.<\/p>\n
\"We expect these waves to reach four meters tall at a maximum
\nand to gradually return to normal in the next two days as the
\nstorm moves farther south,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Fachri said it was not recommended for fishing boats, ferries
\nor other big boats to sail in the affected areas.<\/p>\n
Provincial offices of the BMG in Yogyakarta and East Java
\nrecently forecast an imminent tropical storm heading for the
\ncountry's southern coastal areas.<\/p>\n
Despite the soothing analysis from the central BMG,
\nYogyakarta's natural disaster relief team stepped up on Monday
\npreparations for the evacuation of residents, including setting
\nup refugee camps, transportation, monitoring posts and public
\nkitchens.<\/p>\n
The head of Yogyakarta's public order agency, So'im, said the
\nagency was inventorying several locations that could be used by
\nrefugees and preparing dozens of trucks for evacuation purposes.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post observed on Monday dozens of monitoring posts
\nset up along southern coastal areas. Each post is manned 24 hours
\na day by three search and rescue personnel, three radio personnel
\nand local administration officials. Each post is also equipped
\nwith a siren tower.<\/p>\n
A number of residents living near the coast are also taking
\nprecautionary steps such as packing up their clothes and other
\nvaluables in case they have to evacuate.<\/p>\n
The storm warnings have turned the normally hectic southern
\ncoast from Sadeng in Gunungkidul to Glagal Indah in Kulonprogo
\nquiet. Fishermen are reluctant to go out in their boats and are
\ncomplaining of drastic drops in their revenue.<\/p>\n
The meteorology office at the Adi Sucipto Airport in
\nYogyakarta said wind speeds were returning to normal and urged
\nthe public not to panic.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/no-storm-on-ris-horizon-but-stay-alert-says-bmg-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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