At least six people have tragically died as relentless flash floods ravage Indonesia’s famed tourist island of Bali, while the neighboring island of Flores also reels from the downpour’s devastating effects. In Bali’s capital, Denpasar, two buildings collapsed under the force of floodwaters, claiming four lives. In the Jembrana region, two more fatalities were recorded, and 85 residents were urgently evacuated as rising waters surged through once-bustling communities.
Emergency responders have deployed approximately 200 personnel using boats and dinghies to navigate chest-deep waters across five severely affected cities. A pregnant woman lost her life in Denpasar after being swept away while traveling by motorcycle with her partner. Another individual drowned near his home, highlighting the sudden and lethal nature of the flooding.
Infrastructure across Bali was dealt a heavy blow. Widespread gridlock and inundated streets impeded rescue efforts. In some areas, the flooding submerged two-storey homes under up to three meters of water. The island’s international airport, a vital hub for tourism, remains cut off from most vehicles except heavy trucks, raising concerns about logistics and travel disruptions.
Meanwhile, on Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara, several villages were struck by similar flooding triggered by torrential rain earlier this week. In Nagekeo district, four people were killed and an additional four are still missing. The floods severed road access and knocked out communication networks in 18 villages, hampering both rescue operations and reliable data collection.
In response to the growing crisis, local authorities in East Nusa Tenggara are calling for urgent air support, such as helicopters, to reach isolated areas blocked by landslides and floodwaters. Four fatalities have been confirmed there, with rescue teams still unable to access many affected communities. Electricity and communications remain down, complicating coordination efforts.
These floods come amid widespread concern over Indonesia’s vulnerability to natural disasters, particularly during the rainy season. The turnout of fatalities and infrastructural damage serves as a grim reminder of how intense weather events can quickly overwhelm flood management systems—even in heavily touristed areas like Bali and remote islands such as Flores.
