Strong winds and bad weather to continue until Saturday

Strong winds, heavy downpour and sandstorms caused by tropical cyclone Narelle are predicted to affect Bali until Saturday, an official confirmed.

Photo/illustration: Susan Caplan

The strong winds and rough seas had earlier damaged several public facilities, as well as houses and trees, in Gianyar, Denpasar, Badung, Tabanan and Bangli.

Some ports in Bali, including Gilimanuk and Padang Bai, remain on high alert due to rough seas.

I Made Kris Adi Astra, satellite reader at Bali Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), said that tropical cyclone Narelle would stay around Bali for the next 72 hours, or until Saturday.

“On Saturday, the cyclone will be heading further out of Indonesian waters, toward Western Australia,” Astra said.

In Indonesia, the cyclone is centered in south of Bali’s closest neighbor, West Nusa Tenggara, with winds of 40 kilometers per hours on Wednesday.

On Thursday, the cyclone was located 830 kilometers south of Denpasar with strong gusts of wind reaching 150 kilometers per hour. The wind is predicted to remain strong until Saturday.

“People must remain on high alert as strong winds and torrential rains may continue to damage buildings and trees are likely to fall down,” he stated.

In Sanur, the traditional fishing port was closed until Thursday afternoon. Numerous jukung, traditional vessels, that usually take passengers to Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan and Nusa Penida lay idle.

In Denpasar, officials, as well as residents, worked hand-in-hand to clean up the streets and the
neighborhood.

In Kuta, strong winds and sandstorms raged on the beach. Local coastguards worked hard to stop people from swimming, surfing and playing nearby.

Read more, here.

Source: The Jakarta Post | Author: Luh De Suriyani and Alit Kertarahardja