BMKG: Warning for potential heavy rainfall with lightning across East Kalimantan 9-11 March

Balikpapan — The Meteorological, Climatological, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) Balikpapan Station has urged residents of East Kalimantan to be cautious of potential hydrometereological disasters as heavy rainfall is forecast over three days from Monday to Wednesday, 9-11 March 2026.

Hydrometereological disasters could include flooding in residential areas, agricultural land, and roads inundated with water, river overflow, storms, landslides, and similar phenomena, as the heavy rainfall may be accompanied by lightning and strong gusts of wind.

“The details are that on 9 March it will occur in Balikpapan City and Kutai Timur Regency,” said Carolina Meylita Sibarani, Head of the Data and Information Team at BMKG’s Class I Station Sultan Aji Muhammad Sulaiman Sepinggan Balikpapan, during a statement in Balikpapan on Monday.

For Kutai Timur Regency, she continued, the area potentially experiencing heavy rainfall accompanied by lightning and strong gusts of wind on Monday (9/3) is only expected in Telen District.

On Tuesday (10/3), no heavy rainfall is forecast, only moderate rain. Then on Wednesday (11/3), heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds is expected to potentially occur in two districts in Berau Regency: Biatan District and Kelay District.

The early warning is issued because many residential areas in East Kalimantan are situated near riverbanks, so when heavy rainfall occurs, rivers overflow and pose a risk of flooding residential areas, including the potential for landslides due to East Kalimantan’s hilly topography with steep slopes.

“In Kutai Timur Regency, thunderstorms are forecast to occur on Monday at 17:00, 20:00, and 23:00 Wita; in Penajam Paser Utara Regency at 11:00 Wita; and in Mahakam Ulu Regency at 20:00 Wita,” she said.

On Tuesday (10/3), thunderstorms are forecast to occur in Berau Regency at 14:00 and 20:00 Wita, and in Kutai Timur Regency potentially at 11:00, 20:00, and 05:00 Wita.