Barge-tanker Strikes Residents' Home in Demak Amid Waves and High Winds

Dozens of residents in Dukuh Tambaksari, Bedono Village, Sayung District, Demak Regency, remain sheltering in a mosque after a large barge-tanker struck their settlement and the bridge to the Syekh Mudzakir tomb located offshore. Media Indonesia monitoring until early Saturday, 7 March, showed around 45 residents in Dukuh Tambaksari still seeking refuge in the mosque after the vessel hit their coastal community and the bridge to the tomb. Although only one house on the coast was damaged by the strike, residents fear that large waves in the Java Sea to the north of Central Java could also damage their homes, especially since the ship has struck the bridge to the tomb located offshore. “The incident occurred on Friday (6 March) around 19:00 WIB, with large waves accompanied by strong winds causing the barge-tanker to be swept and strike one of the residents’ houses,” said Ahmadi, a local resident. As the barge-tanker moved rapidly out of control, another resident, Syaiful, said it had also hit the bridge to the Syekh Mudzakir tomb, causing substantial damage and disrupting residents and pilgrims. “So one house and the bridge were damaged by the barge-tanker,” he added. Muham Faiz, head of the Bedono Village Deliberative Body (BPD), said the incident occurred around 19:00 WIB and damaged the bridge to the tomb; in addition to destroying one house, it nearly struck other houses along the coast. According to Muham Faiz, residents living along the Bedono coast in Sayung, Demak have become frightened and have been forced to evacuate to a mosque set back from the coast to avoid casualties, given that high waves and strong winds persist. “There are around 45 people who have evacuated to the mosque since last night, as the barge-tanker continues to be buffeted by waves and steered towards the settlement,” said Muham Faiz. Sayung sub-district head Sukarman confirmed the incident and said that ownership and cargo details of the barge-tanker swept by the waves are not yet known. “We are still seeking information and data about the vessel,” he added. In addition to data gathering, Sukarman said village and district authorities are coordinating with relevant agencies to accommodate residents sheltering in the mosque, as Ramadan approaches and sahur provisions must be arranged. Operators of barge-tankers were advised to exercise caution when winds reach 16 knots and waves reach 1.5 metres. An empty barge, TK KPS 1203, was reported to have run aground in the waters off Pulau Raja, Batam, after being battered by extreme weather. The approach of the barge toward the island was considered off course and dangerous to residents. Incidents of vessel collisions have occurred in the Malacca Strait and the Singapore Strait. Alfaizul, head of operations for PLP Tanjunguban, explained that the leak occurred as seawater entered the barge-tanker’s starboard hull, causing the vessel to tilt by up to 50 degrees.