Tropical Cyclone Growing over Banda Sea, BMKG Says

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported earlier this morning on a tropical cyclone that has been building up at the Banda Sea in West Maluku Tenggara.

“The maximum wind speed at the center of the storm reached 30 knots with a minimum pressure up to 1000 hPa. It is moving to the south-southwest region of Timor Leste,” said BMKG meteorology deputy R. Mulyono R. Prabowo in his statement on Wednesday, May 8.

This situation will reportedly cause extreme weather over Indonesia’s eastern hemisphere such as Timor Leste, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), and South Maluku.

The extreme weather will possibly hamper sea transports as the storm will likely cause strong winds up to 25 knots and create high tides measuring from two-meter waves up to 4-meter waves at the southern region of Banda Sea.

BMKG constantly monitors the development of the tropical cyclone at its Tropical Cyclone Warning Center (TCWC) stationed in Jakarta. More information on the weather can be accessed via http://www.bmkg.go.id, Twitter @infobmkg, or download “Info BMKG” mobile app for Android and iOS.  

Erwin Prima