https://arab.news/wyjdm
- Viral videos show floods submerging homes, cars, and buildings in Bali’s tourist areas
- Deluge is reported in 124 areas, including the capital Denpasar and tourist hotspot Kuta
JAKARTA: At least nine people have been killed by severe flooding in Bali, officials said on Wednesday, as parts of Indonesia’s holiday island were inundated and major roads cut off following heavy rainfalls.
The deluge, driven by downpours that began on Tuesday evening, is reported in Bali’s capital Denpasar, as well as areas of Gianyar, Tabanan, Jembrana, Klungkung and Badung.
“The death toll is currently at nine people, while 160 people have been evacuated. We have received 174 incident reports, with flooding reported across 124 areas and landslides in nine areas,” Bali’s Regional Disaster Management Agency said in a statement to Arab News.
Floodwaters began rising at around 3 a.m. on Wednesday, according to reports, with flood height recorded at around two to three meters across various locations.
Videos posted on social media platforms showed submerged cars and houses, and rescuers wading through chest-deep water with rubber boats to reach residents in low-lying areas.
Other clips that have gone viral showed the collapse of two buildings near a river in west Denpasar and floodwaters swamping an underpass in the tourist hotspot of Kuta.
Access to the island’s international airport, located near Denpasar, was also limited on Wednesday, as only trucks could access the flooded roads.
Bali could still see moderate to heavy rain accompanied by strong winds for the next three days, the regional Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency said.
“The floods are extreme. In some areas, they are as high as rooftops, and some cars and motorbikes were carried away by the heavy current on the flooded roads,” Nengah Karya, a 39-year-old Balinese tour guide who lives in Kuta, told Arab News.
“Thankfully, my family and I are safe, but I can’t leave the house for work because so many areas are flooded and there are severe traffic jams. In all the years I’ve lived here, this is the worst flood I’ve seen.”
Bali is Indonesia’s top tourist destination. In 2024, it welcomed more than 6.3 million international travelers and around 10.1 million domestic tourists.