Storm forecast spooks Yogya residents

Storm forecast spooks Yogya residents

Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

The provincial government and residents along the southern
coastal of Yogyakarta are preparing for the worst following an
announcement by officials that a storm is heading for the area.

Government officials are preparing emergency shelters in the
areas expected to be affected, while residents and fishermen are
preparing to take refuge in safer places.

Residents said that there had been natural warnings that a
storm may hit the area in the very near future. In Gunung Kidul
regency, a very high tide some four meters high on Sunday ruined
parts of Parangracuk hill on the Gunung Kidul shoreline. On
Trisik beach, Kulonprogo regency, the abnormally high tide
penetrated far inland and caused flooding at a fish trading
center located some 500 meters from the beach.

Weather at sea has apparently been getting hotter since
Saturday.

Purwanto, 36, a resident of Srigading subdistrict, Bantul
regency, said that he and his family would take refuge at his
relative's house in Bogor, West Java, on Monday for safety.

"Just consider it a family visit. We will spend a couple of
days there," said Purwanto.

Similarly, residents in Baron beach, Gunung Kidul regency,
have also anticipated a worst-case scenario. Shops and the hawker
center along the beach have been deserted since Saturday as
owners and staff evacuate.

Boats were hardly to be seen along the beach with most
fishermen relocating them to their houses inland. "None of
fishermen dare go to sea," said Totok Suharyanto, a subdistrict
official at Kemaceng subdistrict, Gunung Kidul regency.

Governments in Kulonprogo and Bantul regencies have prepared
emergency shelters near beach areas in anticipation of flooding
in the wake of the expected storm.

Meanwhile, Suwondo, the head of Wonosari subdistrict, Gunung
Kidul regency, said that the subdistrict had gathered data on
caves that could be used by residents to shelter from the storm.
"Caves are the safest place for people in storms," said Suwondo.

The precautionary measures were taken by the governments and
residents following an announcement by the Yogyakarta provincial
government and the Meteorology and Geophysics Office (BMG) that a
storm would soon strike the region.

The storm is currently in Australian waters and is expected to
move towards Indonesia by the middle of February, BMG said.

The forecast has sparked apprehension as large numbers of
people will be traveling in the coming days due to Chinese and
Islamic New Year holidays on Wednesday and Thursday.