Heavy Rain Potential on the slopes of Mount Rinjani to Tambora, BMKG warns of disaster

Illustration: Climbers pose at Segara Anak Lake on Mount Rinjani, Lombok Island, West Nusa Tenggara. (Antara)

JAKARTA - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reminds people in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) to be aware of the potential for heavy rain around the slopes of Mount Rinjani to Mount Tambora in Dasarian III January 2026 or the period of 21-31 January.

"There is a chance of rain with an intensity of more than 150 millimeters per day with a probability of 70 to more than 90 percent predicted to occur around the Sembalun, Bayan, Labuhan Badas, Pekat, and Tambora areas," said BMKG NTB Climate Station Praktirawan Suci Agustiarini in Mataram, Tuesday, quoted by Antara.

Suci appealed to the public who were in the slope area or areas with steep topography to always increase their vigilance against hydrometeorological disasters.

According to him, heavy rainfall has the potential to trigger flooding disasters to landslides that can endanger settlements and damage agricultural land.

"Currently, the NTB area has entered the rainy season and some are entering the peak period," said Suci.

BMKG set the high rainfall alert status in Sembalun and Sambelia Districts in East Lombok, Labuan Badas District in Sumbawa Regency, and Pekat District in Dompu Regency.

The alert status in Tambora District, Bima Regency, has a high chance of being hit by extreme rain during the period of 21-31 January 2026.

BMKG also reminded the potential for rain with rain with an intensity of more than 50 millimeters per day reaching 80 to more than 90 percent and potentially occurring throughout the NTB region.

Meanwhile, rain with an intensity of more than 100 millimeters per day is in the range of 60 to more than 90 percent likely to occur in most of Lombok Island, Sekongkang, part of the northern Sumbawa Regency, and part of the northern Dompu.

"There is a potential for heavy rain in Dasarian III in January 2026, the public is expected to be aware of the potential for extreme weather events that can trigger hydrometeorological disasters," said Suci.

In the second week of January 2026 or the period from January 11-20, BMKG recorded the nature of rain in the NTB region in general as Normal Category. The highest rainfall of 488 millimeters per season was recorded at the Sembalun Rain Post which is located in East Lombok Regency.

The NTB government has allocated the use of the Unexpected Expenditure (BTT) budget worth Rp. 16 billion to deal with the impact of hydrometeorological disasters that have hit five districts in NTB.

The BTT budget is prioritized to finance urgent logistical needs and repairs to vital infrastructure, such as broken bridges and damaged road access due to natural disasters.