Bad weather with high sea waves has forced the seaport authorities to suspend the ferries' trips with the BMKG reporting that the southern parts of Sumatra, Java and Bali have been entering the peak of the rainy season.
By
Kompas Team
·5 minutes read
DOKUMENTASI UPP KELAS III SELAYAR
Two sea toll ships namely KM Maloli and KM Belt Nusantara 27 at Benteng Selayar Harbor, Wednesday (4/1/2023). The two Toll Kaut ships that were supposed to sail to East Nusa Tenggara have been stuck at the port since Friday (23/12/2022) due to extreme weather.
MAKASSAR, KOMPAS — Some 200 passengers on two ferries are unable to continue trips and have had to stay at Benteng Port, Selayar Islands regency, South Sulawesi, since Friday (23/12/2022) due to extreme weather and high waves in the waters of several areas.
Aboard KM Maloli and KM Sabuk Nusantara 27, the passengers have to sleep on the ship or at the port terminal. The Selayar Islands Social Service, church administrators and local residents have supplied them with food and drink.
The two ferries set out on Thursday (22/12) from Makassar, South Sulawesi, with the final destination in Reo Manggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). The passengers were on their way home to celebrate Christmas.
Arriving at Benteng Port on Friday (23/12), the two ships were to have continued trips to Bonerate, another transit point in the Selayar Islands, which borders South Sulawesi and NTT, before heading for Reo.
Under normal conditions, the ships would reach Reo Port on Saturday afternoon or evening (24/12).
"When we departed from Makassar, the weather was fine. But it started to get bad as we were arriving in Selayar. There was a warning from the BMKG (Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency) that bad weather would last until Dec. 25. It turned out that it remained bad until the end of the year," KM Maloli captain Martinus Laurensius said when contacted from Makassar on Wednesday evening (4/1/2023).
Martinus said they had been holding on to hope for the weather to improve in early 2023 before the BMKG region IV Makassar issued another warning that extreme weather was expected to persist for more than a week beyond New Year’s Eve.
When we departed from Makassar, the weather was fine. But it started to get bad as we were arriving in Selayar.
Sea waves were reported as high as 2.5 meters to 4 m in the southern part of the Makassar Strait, western and eastern waters of the Selayar Islands; Sabalan waters; northern, western and eastern parts of the Flores Sea; and the northern and southern Bonerate-Kalaotoa Islands.
These waters are the sailing routes of KM Maloli and KM Sabuk Nusantara 27. They are now docking at Benteng Port, waiting for the weather to improve.
DOKUMENTASI UPP KELAS III SELAYAR
Passengers of KM Maloli have been unable to depart since Friday (23/12/2022) at Benteng Harbor, Selayar, South Sulawesi. Originally they were going to leave for East Nusa Tenggara but the extreme weather forced the cruise to be temporarily suspended.
Humanitarian aid
A number of passengers joined a congregation to celebrate Christmas at a local church in the Selayar Islands, while some others held prayers on board.
The church has also been involved in humanitarian aid by providing the passengers with food and drink supplies, in coordination with the Selayar Islands Social Service and local people.
One of the passengers, Hendrikus Fernandes, looked sad, saying he had hoped to celebrate Christmas and New Year with family in Ruteng, Manggarai regency. He said he was resigned to the unfavorable conditions that made it impossible to continue their journey in the midst of high waves. Having celebrated Christmas away from home in the previous three years, he decided to go home. “When I was on my way home, I have found myself stuck in Selayar. However, there’s nothing we can do but wait for the weather to improve. This is for the sake of passengers’ safety," he said.
Hasbullah, an official of the third-tier Selayar Port operational unit, said the bad weather on the Selayar waters had forced them to suspend long-distance trips, which take between 10 and over 20 hours. It was reported the bad weather was marked with strong winds and high waves, which was very risky for shipping safety.
“We are still operating short-distance services, for example from Benteng to Bira, Bulukumba. The traveling time is only two hours. [Even so] we take precautionary measures over the weather conditions," he said.
In West Nusa Tenggara, public ferries have been operated back from Bangsal port to serve trips to Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air. The administrator of the port, which is located in Pemenang district, North Lombok regency, are urged to remain vigilant over possible change in the weather.
"Today, ferries to Gili have returned from Bangsa I," said Rudi (34), who works in the tourism industry in Gili Trawangan, said when contacted from Mataram.
Peak of rainy season
The BMKG has reported that several regions in Indonesia, such as southern Sumatra, Java and Bali, are beginning to enter the peak period of rainy season. Residents are reminded to be take precaution and brace for the weather changes that may occur.
Ida Pramuwardhani, BMKG coordinator for weather prediction, said in Jakarta on Wednesday (4/1) that most parts of Indonesia had the potential for rain in the next week with fluctuating intensities. The BMKG is currently monitoring the ex-tropical Ellie cyclone in western Australia. The cyclone is reported to have had the tendency to persist and wheel slowly westward. It has the potential to grow into a tropical cyclone in the next 24 hours.
The BMKG has reported that several regions in Indonesia, such as southern Sumatra, Java and Bali, are beginning to enter the peak period of rainy season.
This cyclone induces wind speeds of over 25 knots in the Indian Ocean south of Nusa Tenggara and in western Australia. Under these conditions, most parts of Indonesia are predicted to have the potential for rain for a week in early January with varying intensities.
Ida said the potential for heavy to very heavy rains would need to be watched out for in Bengkulu, Lampung, most of Java, East Nusa Tenggara, North Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, West Sulawesi, South Sulawesi and Papua.
BMKG deputy for meteorology Guswanto said public awareness about extreme weather, especially during the rainy season, was urgently needed.
