Cyclone Bruce Strikes Some Indonesia's Areas

Jakarta (Antara) - The Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has issued an official warning that Cyclone Bruce will strike some parts of southern Indonesia, starting Wednesday. The agency has warned that the impact of the Indian Ocean centered Cyclone Bruce will move to south and southwestern Indonesia or 970 kilometers of Bengkulu Province area at a maximum speed of 35 knots or 65 kilometers per hour on Wednesday. BMKG has also predicted that on December 19, the cyclone will move away from Indonesia to the southwest or 1,260 kilometers of southwestern Bengkulu area, with a maximum speed of 55 knots or 100 kilometers per hour. The agency has also predicted that for the next 48 hours, the speed will be 75 knots or 140 kilometers per hour, and will move away from Indonesia on December 20. The prediction for the next 72 hours states that the cyclone will move away with a maximum speed of 90 knots or 165 kilometers per hour. The Bruce Cyclone that passes through Indonesia also has weather impacts in some regions, including light to moderate rain in western and southern Bengkulu, western and southern Lampung, Jakarta, and Banten. Besides, Cyclone Bruce has impacted a 3-4 meters sea waves' rise in Nias Islands, western Padang, western Lampung and the Indian Ocean near Banten coastal areas, as also 4-6 meters sea waves' rise in Mentawai Islands, Enggano coastal area of Bengkulu, and West Indian Ocean along the Mentawai Island and the Lampung Province. Meanwhile, hurricanes with speed of more than 20 knots will potentially strike west coastal Sumatra from the central to southern areas. (*)