TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) clarified that the seawater overflowing on the coast of Manado City on Sunday, Jan. 17, was not a tsunami.

“But it is a phenomenon caused by extreme weather in the Indonesian territory. So people are advised not to panic and seek evacuation,” said the agency’s head of the meteorology center, Eko Prasetyo, on Monday, Jan. 18.

According to him, the overflow of seawater to the city coast was triggered by several factors. One of them was strong winds with a speed of up to 25 knots, causing high waves in Sulawesi Sea, or precisely the northern waters of North Sulawesi, the waters of the Sangihe Islands-Talaud Islands, and the northern Maluku Sea. “The wave height reaches 2.5-4.0 meters,” Eko added.

Besides, it was also attributable to sea tides reaching 170–190 centimeters high at 20:00-21:00 Central Indonesian Time (WITA), he added.

According to Eko, the overflowing of seawater on the coast is a normal weather phenomenon that usually occurs, especially during the peak of the rainy season.

However, BMKG called on people living in coastal areas to stay vigilant and anticipate possible threats during high tides and strong winds. On Saturday, Jan. 16, floods and landslides hit Manado following heavy showers in the city, killing six people.

Read: Strong Earthquake in Majene, Sulawesi Kills 7

ANWAR SISWADI