Torrent of rain sends roadside waterfall surging, flooding scenic highlands
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The Lembah Anai Waterfall flows in the highlands of West Sumatra province, Indonesia, a typically tranquil spot that's, fortunately for sightseers, right by the roadside.
But on Monday, a powerful rainfall brought on by the Southeast Asian monsoon season caused the waterfall to swell, spilling over onto the nearby Padang-Bukittinggi Cross Road and flooding the area, completely blocking it off to traffic.
Padang Panjang city police were advising drivers to choose an alternate route.
"The water discharge is very heavy. It is very dangerous if the traffic flow is not closed," the head of the police Traffic Unit told Newsflare.
The road closure caused immediate traffic jams on the narrow road. The video shows cars even backed up along a side road as pedestrians watched the torrent of water gushing from the falls.
By Tuesday, however, the floodwaters had subsided enough for authorities to reopen the road to vehicles.
The monsoon season, which also affects the neighboring countries of Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, can extend well into November.
"A big factor in the heavy rain in Indonesia is the much warmer-than-usual sea-surface temperatures around the nation which was brought by the ongoing La Niña," said Jason Nicholls, AccuWeather senior meteorologist. "The recent heavy rainfall in West Sumatra was also aided by a weak area of low pressure that formed just offshore."
He predicted that the heavier rain will continue into Wednesday before easing up as the weak low moves out. "But the risk of heavy rain could return next week," Nicholls noted.
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An AccuWeather map of expected rainfall over the Padang Panjang area the night of June 14. |
When easterly trade winds over the Pacific become stronger, they blow warm water west toward Asia, creating a La Niña. Combined with the strong westerly winds near the equatorial Indian Ocean that started to develop in May, resulting in further warming off Indonesia, it all sets the stage for the Asian monsoon.
Nicholls said these warm waters around Indonesia will persist through autumn, and they will likely result in above-normal rainfall across Indonesia, with the continued threat of flooding over the next several months.
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