BPBD advises fishermen in Babel not to go out to sea during El Nino until June

Fishermen need to be aware of these rapid weather changes. Calm weather conditions can suddenly turn into heavy rain accompanied by strong winds, triggering increased wave heights that endanger maritime safety.

Pangkalpinang (ANTARA) - The Head of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of the Bangka Belitung Islands Province, Budi Utama, has reminded fishermen to temporarily refrain from going out to sea in order to anticipate the impact of the El Nino phenomenon, which is expected to cause heavy rain accompanied by strong winds and high waves in the region’s waters.

“During this El Nino phenomenon, it is hoped that fishermen will not go out to sea to avoid accidents at sea,” said the Head of BPBD Babel, Budi Utama, in Pangkalpinang on Sunday.

He stated that extreme weather changes due to the El Nino phenomenon in the waters of the Bangka Belitung Islands are expected to occur until early June 2026, so coastal communities, especially fishermen, should not engage in fishing activities in the middle of the sea.

“The potential for accidents involving fishing boats in the middle of the sea is quite high, as happened some time ago when a Bangka fishing boat sank due to being hit by strong winds,” he said.

“These rapid weather changes need to be anticipated by fishermen. Calm weather conditions can suddenly turn into heavy rain accompanied by strong winds, triggering increased wave heights that endanger maritime safety, especially for traditional fishing boats in this area,” he said.

During this weekend holiday, his agency also advises visitors to coastal tourist attractions to be careful and always supervise their children while playing and swimming on the beach.

“We are working with managers of coastal tourist attractions to continuously socialize and advise visitors not to swim on the beach if weather conditions suddenly worsen, as this can endanger their safety,” said Budi Utama.