Some 56,638 Travelers Cross Sunda Strait Through Bakauheni

Bakauheni, Lampung (Antara) - A total of 56,638 Idul Fitri travelers crossed the Sunda Strait to Java through Bakauheni Ferry Ports in Lampung (Sumatra), four days after Idul Fitri on Friday. Data at the Inland Waterway Transportation Service (PT ASDP) showed on Friday that the reverse flow of Idul Fitri travelers consisted of 14,553 pedestrian passengers and 42,085 passengers on their own vehicles. They were ferried on 7,954 motorcycles, 4,814 four wheeler vehicles and 94 buses. The number of large vehicles such as trucks reached 125. Compared with those ferried on Thursday or three days after the Idul Fitri D-Day on Monday, the number of travelers on Friday underwent a decline. Friday's Idul Fitri travelers ferried through the port of Bakauheni accounted for 82,077 consisting of 14,582 pedestrians and 67,495 on vehicles. The data revealed that some 395,994 travelers who have earlier crossed the Sunda Strait from Java to celebrate the Idul Fitri holidays in Sumatra had not yet returned. A total of 45,219 four wheeler vehicles has not yet returned. In the meantime, thousands of vehicles which wanted to cross the Sunda Strait from Sumatra to Java began to pile up at Bakauheni Ferry Port at the wee hours on Saturday. Based on the observation of an Antara correspondent at the port, thousands of private cars, buses and trucks piled up at the piers' parking areas. The vehicles accumulated at the parking areas of pier II, III, IV and V. This was also caused by bad weather that was taking place at the Sunda Strait. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said that the wind speed now in the Sunda Strait reached 0.5 to 15 knots with waves recorded at up to 1.5 meters high. The weather condition was cloudy. Because of the bad weather, ferries faced difficulties in mooring at the piers. A number of ferries were able to moor but need time to do so. Cars which wanted to embark on the ship also found difficulties because ferries' ramp doors were shaky and could cause risks for vehicles' wheels as they can get stuck. Two wheeler vehicles were not seen piling up at early hours on Sunday. However, it is predicted that the peak of the reverse flow of Idul Fitri travelers (both those using motorcycles and pedestrian ferry passengers) will take place Saturday morning. (*)