Heavy Rain to Extreme Heat, BPBD East Kalimantan Set Alert Status

SAMARINDA - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of East Kalimantan Province has set a disaster alert status in line with the extreme weather that is predicted to continue to overshadow the region at the beginning of this year.

The Secretary of the East Kalimantan BPBD, Yasir, said that based on the evaluation throughout 2025, the trend of extreme weather in East Kalimantan showed an alarming condition. High rainfall often triggers floods and landslides, while extreme heat temperatures have the potential to cause forest and land fires.

"Current weather conditions are very fluctuating. Heavy rain can suddenly be followed by hot weather. Therefore, this year we have set the status of the Kaltim meteorological disaster alert for a full year," said Yasir in Samarinda, Antara, Thursday, February 5.

As a precautionary measure, BPBD Kaltim focused on strengthening human resources capacity and the readiness of disaster management infrastructure. The strengthening was carried out from the provincial level to the district and city levels, including ensuring that all evacuation equipment was ready for use.

Yasir emphasized that disaster management is a shared responsibility between the government and the community. He appealed to residents to increase their concern for the surrounding environment.

"People must be concerned. Don't throw away garbage carelessly and routinely clean the water channels in their respective neighborhoods," he said.

In addition, the public is asked to actively monitor weather forecasts through official channels, such as the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) and BPBD Kaltim social media.

He also reminded the importance of preparedness at the family level, including understanding self-evacuation steps to minimize risks if a disaster occurs.

"If there is an emergency, immediately contact the local disaster management office so that assistance can be quickly distributed," said Yasir.