A whale measuring approximately 15 metres was seen in the Somor River in Cengal District, Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI) Regency, South Sumatra, according to local authorities. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon, 15 February 2026, and was later confirmed by district officials.
“Yes, that’s right, yesterday afternoon a whale entered the Somor River in Cengal District, OKI,” said Gotot Holden, Head of Cengal District, when contacted by detikSumbagsel on Monday, 16 February 2026.
The whale was first spotted by a fisherman who was fishing in the river at the time. He reported the sighting to village officials shortly afterwards. Local residents then gathered at the location to observe the whale and assist in efforts to guide it out of the river.
Video footage obtained by detikSumbagsel showed fishermen and residents approaching the whale using small boats. They attempted to direct the animal towards the estuary so it could return to open waters.
Residents attempt evacuation with limited equipment
Residents made several attempts to guide the whale towards the sea. However, the evacuation efforts faced difficulties due to shallow water and limited resources.
“Residents have tried to herd the whale into the estuary. However, the whale keeps returning to the shoreline of the Somor River estuary,” Gotot said.
He added that the residents continued their efforts despite the challenges. The whale remained in the river area for several hours, drawing attention from the surrounding community.
According to Gotot, the shallow depth of the river made it difficult for the whale to move freely. This condition also limited the residents’ ability to assist the animal safely.
Despite repeated attempts, the whale did not immediately return to the open sea.
Whale no longer seen after water level rises
By Monday morning, 16 February 2026, the whale was no longer present in the river, according to local authorities.
“Thank God, this morning, after checking again, the whale was gone,” Gotot said when confirming the update to detikSumbagsel.
He said the change in water level may have allowed the whale to leave the area.
“It is suspected that the river waters rose last night, allowing the whale to be carried away and return to the open sea,” he said.
Authorities and residents did not report further sightings of the whale after Sunday night. The situation in the Somor River has since returned to normal, and no additional evacuation efforts were required.
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