10 Flores Sea Facts You Should Know

The Flores Sea is surrounded by the Banda Sea within the east and northeast, the Bali Sea within the west and the Java Sea within the northwest. It spans 240,000 sq. kilometres and is understood for its pristine marine habitats, seashores and islands.

It is linked with the Celebes Sea within the northwest via the Makassar Strait. Many islands separate the Flores Sea from the Indian Ocean and the Savu Sea.

Read this text to study 10 attention-grabbing details in regards to the Flores Sea.

1. Divided into 4 physiographic areas or zones

The Flores Sea has 4 physiographic areas, together with a 500-metre-wide plateau mendacity in its west, the Flores Basin with a most depth of 5140 m mendacity within the south, a shallow trough with a depth of 3370 m going all the way in which to Celebes Island within the north and the final area within the east bordering the Banda Sea on the south of Teluk Bone.

2. Site of the well-known shipwreck of O Arbiru

The Flores Sea is liable to tropical cyclones, and one such cyclone capsized the freighter named O Arbiru, which was carrying rice cargo from Bangkok. Of the 24-member crew, only one individual lived. On the Palu’e island, round 1500 fishermen have been killed by the 1973 Flores Cyclone, the deadliest cyclone within the Southern Hemisphere.

O Arbiru was a Portuguese-flagged cargo vessel weighing 400 tonnes. In 1973, when Timor Leste was an Overseas Province managed by the Portuguese, the colonial authorities used this vessel to ship requirements to the island’s folks by way of Bangkok.

The wreck of this ship continues to be within the Flores Sea, close to the city of Maumere, 32 nm from Pemana Island. Inhabitants of Maumere and the northern coast of Flores Island name it the Takalayar Ship.

A fisherman named Herman stated that the folks of Pemana island thought it was a Hong Kong Ship because it had the Chinese alphabet engraved. He stated that it sank in 1973 when he was simply 15. He additionally narrated how the folks of Pemana, Maumere, and Selayar took all its cargo.

For a few years, the shipwreck grew to become a fish home the place folks caught pink snapper. The ship O Arbiru or Takalayar, as folks known as it, was crucial mode of transport for the Timor Portuguese colonial authorities at the moment.

3. Climate of the Flores Sea

The waters of the Flores Sea have a mean temperature of 28.6℃. Maximum temperatures throughout summer time can go as excessive as 29.0℃, whereas the minimal temperatures throughout winter don’t fall beneath 27.9℃. Hence, Flores sea stays heat all year long, making it a really perfect vacationer vacation spot.

Many go to the ocean to expertise water sports activities like diving, snorkelling, swimming, or just stress-free on the seashores. The area will get round 1600 mm of annual rainfall, which is the very best from December to March. The dry season begins in June and lasts until September.

4. Earthquakes and tsunamis are frequent right here

The newest main earthquake within the area occurred on December 14, 2021, with a studying of seven.3 on the Richter scale. The Flores area is seismically lively because it lies on the complicated tectonic boundary between the Australian and Sunda plates and lots of different microplates. Many main lively faults lie right here, just like the Flores Back Arc Thrust Fault and the Sunda megathrust.

In the 14 December earthquake, one individual died, and 173 have been injured. Warnings have been issued to the coastal communities, inflicting panic. Videos on social media confirmed inhabitants working to excessive floor to keep away from the excessive waves as a result of earthquake. The tsunami was minor, measuring seven centimetres.

The Selayar and Flores islands have been badly affected, with over 5000 folks displaced. Three college buildings, a village workplace and a couple of locations of worship have been broken. At least 357 properties collapsed, and a few roofs have been torn aside. Over 800 buildings have been broken.

5. Formed through the Miocene Period

The Flores Sea got here into existence due to the tectonic forces which have formed the Indonesian Archipelago. The interplay of tectonic plates has additionally fashioned a various topographic marine panorama, together with deep trenches, islands, islets and underwater volcanoes.

The basin of the Flores Sea started to take form through the Miocene Period, from 5 to 23 million years in the past. This was brought on by subduction and volcanism alongside the Sunda-Banda Arc system. Crystal deformation and volcanic actions elevated with the subduction of the Australian plate beneath the Eurasian plate.

Underwater volcanoes erupted and deposited thick lava layers and sediments over the course of time, filling in and submerging the area between the islands making a shallow basin.

Seismic actions nonetheless proceed to form the seabed. Earthquakes and uplift occasions can alter the coastlines and depths of the Flores Sea.

The sea has a depth of fifty to 100 m, and its shallow waters are separated from the Banda Sea, which lies to the east by the Lintang Fault Zone beneath Lembata Island.

6. Flores Sea is a biodiversity hotspot

The Flores Sea boasts gorgeous coral reefs, which seem like underwater gardens bustling with marine life. They are properties, breeding and feeding grounds for a number of marine species. From arduous, vibrant corals to delicate sea swans shifting with the present, these underwater constructions create a good looking atmosphere for scuba diving fanatics, a lot of whom come from afar to expertise the great thing about the Flores Sea.

Colourful fish like elusive seahorses, parrotfish, and reef fish are discovered right here, together with bigger species, together with snappers, groupers and barracudas.

One of the main sights of the Flores Sea is the manta rays. These majestic creatures glide via the waters with their sleek wingspans. One may also swim with sea turtles, dolphins and whale sharks right here.

7. Major threats

Overfishing and unsustainable fishing strategies pose a significant problem to the delicate ecosystem of the Flores Sea. Unregulated practices like blast fishing and the usage of cyanide deplete fish populations and destroy coral reefs. It results in a disbalance within the ecosystem and likewise impacts the livelihood of native communities that rely on fishing.

Pollution from land-based sources poses one other menace. Runoffs containing chemical substances, plastic waste, pesticides, and so forth, contaminate the waters and choke marine life, particularly close to the coast. Plastic is essentially the most evil because it entangles turtles and fish and causes loss of life.

Climate Change and rising sea temperatures, coupled with ocean acidification, have led to the bleaching of corals. It has not solely diminished the great thing about coral reefs however disrupted your complete ecosystem.

8. Notable Conservation efforts

Several initiatives have been taken to protect the Flores Sea’s marine ecosystem, equivalent to establishing marine protected areas. This helps protect the area’s pure sources and significant habitats and to restrict human actions by selling sustainable practices. The protected areas are omes to endangered marine species.

Sustainable fishing strategies are being promoted to safeguard the Flores Sea’s fish shares and assist the livelihoods of native fishing communities. These laws prohibit fishing in some seasons and outline catch limits and equipment for use to take care of a steadiness between fishing and conservation. Selective fishing and avoiding damaging strategies are inspired to protect the ecosystem’s well being.

Raising consciousness amongst stakeholders, vacationers, and locals to foster a way of accountability in the direction of the Flores Sea atmosphere via teaching programs, workshops, and outreach additionally performs a key position in conservation efforts.

9. Many islands lie within the Flores Sea

Flores Island is without doubt one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, a bunch of islands mendacity within the jap a part of Indonesia. It lies east of Sumbawa and Komodo islands, west of Solor islands and Alor Archipelago and to the southeast is Timor.

Kelimutu Volcano, which kinds three colored lakes, is essentially the most well-known vacationer attraction right here. There are many snorkelling and diving places alongside the island’s north coast, equivalent to Maumere and Riung. Labuan Bajo is used as a base to achieve Komodo and Rinca islands. It additionally attracts scuba divers as a result of whale sharks are present in waters round Labuan Baju. Luba and Bena villages have conventional homes, and the latter additionally has stone age megaliths.

Other distinguished islands embrace Sumbawa, Komodo, Rinca, Lembata, Adonara, Solar and Alor.

10. Has a number of main ports and coastal cities

Maumere is located within the Bay of Maumere on the north coast of Flores Island. It serves the jap area of Flores as a industrial facility dealing with home and worldwide vessels together with inter-island ferries. The Pertamina oil terminal is 6 km east of this port.

Larantuka, on the northeastern shores of Flores Island, is owned by Pertamina and handles oil and gasoline. Kupang lies on the west coast of Timor Island and can be a significant port city in west Timor. Its amenities lie 4 km southwest at Tenau. Major commodities dealt with are coal, espresso, sandalwood, anthracite and cattle.

Waingapu lies on the northeastern a part of the Sumba Island. It is a significant port and is open to worldwide commerce. There are many different ports within the Flores Sea, together with Aimere, a small fishing port, Bajawa, Tambolaka, Baa, Adonara, Atambua, Kefamenanu, Waingapu, and so forth.

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About Author

Zahra is an alumna of Miranda House, University of Delhi. She is an avid author, possessing immaculate analysis and modifying expertise. Author of a number of tutorial papers, she has additionally labored as a contract author, producing many technical, inventive and advertising items. A real aesthete at coronary heart, she loves books a little bit greater than the rest.

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