DENPASAR – The Provincial Government of Bali, together with Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), convened a coordination meeting on Wednesday evening at Gedung Kertha Sabha, Jayasabha, Denpasar, to address the devastating floods that struck several regions across Bali.
The meeting was attended by BNPB Head Lt. Gen. Suharyanto, Bali Governor Wayan Koster, IX/Udayana Regional Military Commander Maj. Gen. Piek Budiyanto, 163/Wirasatya Military Resort Commander, as well as the Regents of Badung and Gianyar, and the Mayor of Denpasar.
Governor Koster expressed his appreciation for BNPB’s swift response to the floods.
“We thank the central government for its immediate attention. This issue must be resolved quickly, as Bali is a world tourism destination. We cannot let this disaster disrupt our recovery momentum after the pandemic,” he stated.
According to reports from Bali’s Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), floods were recorded at 123 locations: 81 in Denpasar, 14 in Gianyar, 4 in Karangasem, and several in Jembrana and Badung. Landslides occurred at 18 points, mostly in Gianyar (5), Karangasem (12), and Badung (1).
The disaster also caused severe infrastructure damage, with 16 collapsed structures across Gianyar (2), Badung (2), Karangasem (11), and Denpasar (1). The most significant losses were recorded at Kumbasari Market and Jalan Sulawesi in Denpasar, with damages estimated at over IDR 4 billion (approx. USD 260,000). Dozens of kiosks and shop houses collapsed, while vendors’ equipment was swept away.
As of Wednesday evening, nine fatalities were confirmed, with six people still missing. Around 240 residents have taken shelter in several evacuation points in Denpasar, including Banjar Tohpati, Kesambi, Gedung NU, and Pemecutan Kelod Elementary School.
Brig. Gen. Ida I Dewa Agung Hadisaputra, Commander of 163/Wirasatya Military Resort, said his troops had been on the ground with the Governor since morning.
“Our personnel managed to rescue three people alive. At Kumbasari Market, we also towed out cars trapped by floodwaters,” he explained.
He added that 50–70 vehicles remained submerged in the basement of Badung Market, where floodwaters reached up to eight meters.
“We have deployed special vehicles to retrieve them and mobilized four company-level units to assist in clean-up efforts at Kumbasari Market, Badung Market, and Jalan Pulau Demak,” he said.
BNPB Chief Lt. Gen. Suharyanto emphasized that post-disaster recovery is now a priority, in line with directives from President Prabowo Subianto.
“Thankfully, the situation is not as severe as initially feared. The floods are relatively under control, and river levels have returned to normal,” he told reporters.
BNPB has delivered essential equipment, including pumps and generators, to accelerate drainage efforts. Suharyanto also highlighted the unusual weather patterns behind the disaster.
“This was caused by extremely high rainfall due to rare atmospheric phenomena, including equatorial Rossby and Kelvin waves. According to BMKG (Meteorological Agency), these have now shifted westward away from Bali,” he explained.
As of 9:00 p.m., BNPB confirmed nine deaths and six people missing. “More than 100 personnel are involved in search and rescue, and we will continue until every missing person is found,” Suharyanto affirmed, while assuring that repairs to homes, shops, and public infrastructure would begin promptly.
He clarified that declaring a disaster emergency status is not a matter of leadership but a mechanism to accelerate the disbursement of central government aid to affected regions. BNPB also pledged continuous logistical support, including baby and child supplies, alongside joint search operations with Basarnas.
Site Visit to Badung Market
After the coordination meeting, Governor Koster and BNPB Chief Suharyanto inspected flood-hit Badung Market, where seven pumps were deployed to drain the basement.
“This was an extraordinary downpour – some traders said they had not seen rain like this in 70 years. We will declare an emergency status to speed up recovery, including disbursing contingency funds to cover people’s losses,” Governor Koster said.
With these coordinated measures, both central and provincial governments aim to ensure Bali’s swift recovery from the flood disaster.***
