Strong winds batter Kotabaru fishermen's settlements

Extreme weather continues to hit Kalimantan Selatan. On Saturday evening, heavy rain accompanied by strong winds lashed the fisherman’s settlement in Desa Tanjung Serudung, Kecamatan Pulau Laut Selatan, Kotabaru Regency.

Data from Pusdalops BPBD Provinsi Kalimantan Selatan recorded dozens of homes swept away by the gale (storm), with seven of them severely damaged or collapsed. Dozens of residents have been evacuated to safe locations.

‘Extreme weather continues to hit Kalimantan Selatan. The heavy rain accompanied by strong winds has hit the Kotabaru coastal area,’ said Roni Eka Saputra, Head of the Provincial Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), in his disaster report on Sunday (8/3).

There were no fatalities in the incident. However, damages to homes and belongings are estimated in the hundreds of millions of rupiah. ‘Field personnel, with the assistance of the TNI-Polri, have conducted assessments and are providing further assistance to the disaster victims,’ he said.

BPBD and BMKG Kalimantan Selatan have issued early warnings about the potential for extreme weather that has persisted for the past two weeks. Weather conditions off southern Kalimantan and Kotabaru have also produced sea conditions with waves up to 2.5 metres.

Media monitoring observed heavy rain with strong winds in several parts of Kalimantan Selatan on Saturday (7/3) evening through night.