BMKG: March Rainfall Still High, Travellers Urged to Exercise Caution
The Head of the Indonesian Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG), Teuku Faisal Fathani, has advised that rainfall in March 2026 will remain classified as high to very high, particularly until the second week of the month. This forecast is of particular concern ahead of the 2026 Eid holiday homecoming period and return migration.
“The first ten days of March will still see potential for high rainfall across West Java, Banten, and Central Java-Yogyakarta. However, by the final ten days of March, conditions will have significantly improved,” he explained.
BMKG is coordinating closely with the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) to support situational weather modification operations should extreme weather threaten the homecoming journey.
The Deputy Governor of Central Java, Taj Yasin Maimoen, has confirmed that cross-sector preparedness measures across the region are operating optimally. According to a national survey by the Transportation Policy Agency (BKT) under the Ministry of Transportation, approximately 38.71 million people are expected to travel to Central Java during the 2026 Eid holiday, making the province a favoured destination for homecoming travellers.
“Hopefully, in the ten days leading up to Eid al-Fitr, all road repair work, particularly in Central Java, will be completed. Central Java is ready to serve as one of the main transit routes for the homecoming surge,” said Taj Yasin following a cross-sectoral ministerial coordination meeting conducted online at Central Java Police Headquarters.
He added that reports from the Ministry of Public Works and Housing (PUPR) indicate that several road sections are still undergoing repairs but are targeted for completion before the peak Eid homecoming period in 2026.
The Head of BNPB, Suharyanto, revealed that by early March 2026, Indonesia had experienced nearly 500 disaster incidents. Central Java alone recorded 82 incidents of flooding, landslides, and extreme weather.
BNPB has prepared six strategic measures, including strengthened coordination with local governments, distribution of maps of disaster-prone homecoming routes, activation of joint command posts, deployment of personnel at strategic locations, contingency plans for tourist areas, and readiness for weather modification operations.
“The hope is that during this Eid period, citizens can carry out their activities and travel with safety and comfort,” he concluded.