Cyclone Edna Affects Eastern Regions of Indonesia
Translator
Editor
Selasa, 4 Februari 2014 07:26 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Tropical cyclone Edna in Australia, is hitting some areas in the eastern part of Indonesia. High intensity rain and strong winds struck East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) since early this month.
"The tropical cyclone is causing extreme weather conditions in NTT," said Muhammad Syaeful Hadi, head of the Observation and Information from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) in Kupang, to Tempo yesterday.
He explained that Edna's low pressure affects the north-eastern part of Australia as well as its northern areas and southern part of NTT, resulting in sporadic high intensity rain accompanied by strong winds. The velocity of the wind in NTT ranged between 20 to 45 kilometers per hour and at times reaching 50 kilometers per hour, or equals to 28 knots.
"We have to be [on] alert, because many trees have fallen," he said.
The cyclone also resulted in high waves along the NTT coastline, especially in the southern part of Sumba, such as the Sawu Sea, where waves could reach up to three to four meters high. Such high waves also occurred on the Flores Sea, while in Rote and the Timor Sea, the waves can up to three to five meters high.
Yesterday, BMKG warned travelers using sea transportation that the high waves off NTT's coast are dangerous, especially in the southern part of NTT because it could reach an astonishing seven meters high. An early warning bulletin was issued, citing that waves could reach up to three to seven meters high on Flores Seas and southern Indian Ocean.
YOHANES SEO | ANTARA