Bali as well as other areas of Indonesia received big waves recently, causing minor damage to temporary structures. No need to panic if you are visiting Bali, just be careful when you wander down to the waters edge. Here’s more from the Jakarta Post.
High waves hit coastal areas across the country
JAKARTA (JP): High waves hit coastal areas across Indonesia, devastating houses, expelling tourists from beaches, preventing fishermen from going down to the sea, and causing at least one person missing.
On Indonesian main resort island of Bali, high waves hit dozens of makeshift buildings owned by vendors in Kedonganan beach, Jimbaran district, Badung regency after they had been swept by high waves since Thursday.
“A sudden high wave was (also) devastating huts owned by fishermen,” a resident of Jimbaran was quoted by Antara news agency as saying, adding that a number of fishing boats were also destroyed.
Meanwhile, beaches on the island, which were usually crowded by tourists, were quiet Friday as they were prevented from approaching those areas.
In Yogyakarta, high waves destroyed dozens of building in Kuwaru beach, Bantul regency. “The high waves, which had occurred since late Thursday to Friday destroyed a number of houses and kiosks,” said Ngadiman, member of a rescue team.
Rismanto, another rescuer, said that the high waves reached up to 8 meters above the sea level.
A similar condition was also seen in Pelabuhanratu beach, Sukabumi regency, West Java as hundreds of houses and kiosks were swept by the high waves.
“My house is seriously damaged,” said Erna, a resident of Pelabuhanratu district, who was sheltered in a government office owned by the Sukabumi regental administration.
In West Sumatra, high waves did not only damage houses, but also prevented fishermen from going to the sea. An official said that high waves had occurred since Thursday.
In Aceh, rescuers were searching a student of senior high school, who was swept by high waves when he and his friends were in Lhoknga beach, Aceh Besar regency Thursday.
“This morning, residents help us search the victim, by sweeping along the coastal area,” said Hendrik, a rescuer.
Waves and currents in Bali are strong. The surge of water when even a small wave hits the beach is surprisingly strong and can easily sweep a child away. Best places to enjoy the beach with young kids are Sanur and Nusa Dua, as both places are protected by a reef.
