Tourists Advised Not To Swim As Cyclone Olga Swirls Close To Bali 

Share The Article

Over the next few days, tourists in Bali will be urged to take weather warnings seriously.

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency for Bali has forecast bad weather and dangerous sea conditions in the coming days due to tropical cyclones in the Indian Ocean. 

Tourists visiting Bali, Lombok, and East Java are all being warned about the potential dangers of storms, strong winds, heavy rains, and high sea waves in the coming days. Indonesia is just starting to celebrate Eid al-Fitr 1445, the biggest holiday in the national calendar.

Millions of people have traveled to their hometowns to visit family, while others have taken destination vacations to areas like Bali.

While Eid al-Fitr itself, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, falls on the 9th and 10th of April, the Hari Raya Idul Fitri holiday across Indonesia will be observed from the 8th until the 15th of April.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by BMKG (@infobmkg)

In a forecast statement the BMKG Public Meteorology Center issued an early warning of Tropical Cyclone Olga which has been observed in the Indian Ocean southwest of Sabu Island in East Nusa Tenggara, with a maximum wind speed of 40 knots or the equivalent of 75 kilometers per hour with a minimum air pressure of 996 hPa.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Balai Besar MKG Wilayah III (@bmkgbali)

Speaking to reporters, Widodo Setiyo Pranowo, Principal Expert Researcher at the Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (PRIMA), National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), explained, “The impact of this category two cyclone is extreme sea wave height due to tropical cyclones with a range of 1.25-4 meters, and also moderate to heavy rain.”

“Apart from that, it is also predicted that the cyclone will move southwest, up to 11th April 2024, away from Indonesian territory. Cyclone Olga is predicted to disappear after 11th April 2024.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Balai Besar MKG Wilayah III (@bmkgbali)

Although Cyclone Olga is forecast to disappear by Thursday this week, high waves, strong currents, and storms are forecast across East Java, Lombok, and Bali for the days to come.

Though less strong than during the cyclone, the conditions in the water are enough to make tourists seriously consider whether it’s safe for them to take a dip along Bali’s most famous beaches.

Pranowo said, “Then the maximum height of sea waves increased during the Eid holiday period 10 and 11 April 2024 until it reached around 3.45 meters. The maximum height is predicted to decrease from 12-13 April 2024 to around 1.125 -2.5 meters.”

Pranowo urged, “Tourists visiting tourist beaches along the southern coast of Java, Bali, Lombok, and Sumbawa, during the Eid holiday from 9th to 15th April 2024, especially between 8 am and 3 pm, are advised to be careful or alert.” 

He added, “Tourists are also advised to be alert to locations in calm coastal waters, which are flanked on either side by breaking waves. These calm waters are actually very dangerous because they have the potential to contain rip currents or deadly currents.” 

He outlines how rip currents could still be present along Bali’s beaches and how tourists must take these risks seriously.

Pranowo explained, “If the rip current speed in April 2024 is, for example, 0.08 meters per second, then in just 10 minutes, tourists could be dragged 48 meters into the open sea away from the beach.”

He added “And, if the tourists who are swept away wearing clothes that are not flashy in color, it tends to be bluish green, it will make searching difficult [to rescue them], because the color blends with the color of the sea water.”

Tourists visiting Bali’s beaches are always encouraged to check the weather forecast before heading out and honor any flag warning systems that are in place.

Tourists should also obey the advice of any lifeguards or surf rescue officers on duty.

Do not enter the water without telling someone on the shoreline to keep an eye on you.