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Rare arch-shaped cloud over Aceh goes viral, sparks concern, 'fake news'
Residents of Meulaboh took to social media after a strange cloud formation rolled over the horizon in the Acehnese city.
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An arcus cloud, a broad and low-lying, banded cloud shaped like an arch, appears in the sky over the city of Meulaboh in Aceh on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2020. The unusual cloud formation had the internet abuzz, with some users falsely claiming the natural weather phenomenon portended an earthquake or a tsunami. (Kompas.com/File)
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large, greyish white cloud appeared on Sunday morning over Meulaboh in Aceh province to shock the city's residents, some of whom thought that the low-lying, horizontal cloud formation resembled a tsunami.
Videos and photos of the strange cloud made their rounds on social media, sparking some concerns among local residents.
Twitter user Arief Arbianto tweeted using the handle @masawep on Monday morning: "Let us pray that Meulaboh city will be all right. A view of a this morning's cloud above Meulaboh, West Aceh regency."
Mohon doanya Kota Meulaboh baik2 saja. Pemandangan awan pagi ini di atas kota Meulaboh, Aceh Barat. pic.twitter.com/gU4jTSa7Zo
— Arief Arbianto (@masawep) August 10, 2020
Meanwhile, user Agus Maulana (@a_mantu71) posted a video clip to his account on Monday afternoon, calling the "uncommon phenomenon" a "tsunami cloud".
Fenomena yg tdk lazim, awan tsunami di Mbo Aceh Barat pic.twitter.com/FrVySSFIaP
— Agus Maulana (@a_mantu71) August 10, 2020
Weather forecast and early warning head Miming Saepudin of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) identified the rare weather phenomenon spotted over Meulaboh.
"It is a relatively rare phenomenon called an arcus cloud," Miming said on Monday as reported by kompas.com.
Miming said that arcus clouds formed as a result of atmospheric instability caused when air masses of different temperatures and humidity met
"The cooler air masses push the warmer air up to form horizontal clouds," he said, adding that an arcus cloud could be a sign of bad weather in the area where it appeared, such as strong winds and thunderstorms.
"So we urge all residents to stay alert, especially fishermen, as the cloud could cause strong winds and heavy rainstorms accompanied by thunder," he said.
Miming debunked suggestions by several social media users that the cloud signified an impending earthquake or tsunami.
“Such a cloud is purely a [natural weather] phenomenon due to atmospheric dynamics and has nothing to do with potential earthquakes or tsunamis or mystical things,” he stressed. (nal)
