Indonesia is reeling from a wave of deadly floods that have swept across the islands of Bali and Flores, claiming lives, displacing residents, and crippling infrastructure in popular tourist and rural regions.
Over the past 48 hours, torrential rains triggered flash floods across five districts in Bali, including the capital Denpasar and the tourist hub of Kuta. According to Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), at least six people have died, with four others reported missing. Rescue teams, numbering over 200 personnel, are navigating chest-deep waters to evacuate residents from submerged homes and streets.
In Flores, located in East Nusa Tenggara province, flash floods have devastated 18 villages, cutting off road access and phone services. Four fatalities have been confirmed, with several others still unaccounted for. Though waters have begun to recede in Flores, Bali remains under threat as rains persist and infrastructure struggles to cope.
Access to Bali’s international airport has been severely restricted, with major roads gridlocked and only trucks able to navigate the flooded routes. Social media footage shows buildings collapsing under the force of floodwaters and vehicles swept away in West Denpasar.
BNPB Chief Suharyanto stated, “These floods are a stark reminder of the growing intensity of weather events in Indonesia. Climate change is altering storm patterns, making our monsoon seasons more unpredictable and dangerous.”