BMKG: Residents warned of flood risks in East Kalimantan amid rainfall forecast for 11-20 March

Samarinda — Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has urged residents of East Kalimantan to be vigilant about the potential for flooding due to forecasted medium-category rainfall with over 90 per cent probability of occurrence over a 10-day period from 11-20 March 2026.

The early warning has been issued because rain with over 90 per cent probability could result in hydrometeorological disasters, including floods, slippery roads, river overflow, landslides, and the possibility of fallen trees, as rainfall is also expected to be accompanied by strong winds.

“Generally, East Kalimantan Province is predicted to experience medium-category rainfall between 50-150 millimetres (mm) with over 90 per cent probability of rain during 11-20 March,” said Riza Arian Noor, Head of the Class III Aji Pangeran Tumenggung (APT) Pranoto Meteorology Station at BMKG Samarinda, speaking in Samarinda on Wednesday.

The deterministic rainfall forecast for the second ten-day period of March (11-20 March) indicates that most of East Kalimantan’s regions are likely to experience medium-category rainfall of 50-150 millimetres (mm). However, a small portion of northern West Kutai Regency is predicted to experience high-category rainfall of 150-200 mm.

Certain areas in West Kutai, East Kutai, East Kutai Regency, Mahakam Ulu, and Berau districts are predicted to experience above-normal rainfall characteristics of 116-200 per cent.

“The area recording the highest rainfall is West Kutai Regency, specifically in Barong Tongkok District, with rainfall totalling 313 mm,” he said.