Rescue teams have found the bodies of 15 individuals who lost their lives due to flash floods in two Indonesian provinces. Meanwhile, authorities are searching for 10 more people who are still missing.
Heavy rainfall that started on Monday led to flooding and landslides in East Nusa Tenggara province and on the island of Bali, a popular tourist destination. On Wednesday, rescue workers discovered the bodies of a mother and her child buried under mud in the severely affected village of Mauponggo, along with the body of a man from the neighboring village of Loka laba, in the Nagekeo region of East Nusa Tenggara. One day prior, it was reported that three members of a family died after their house was swept away, and four others were missing in Mauponggo village.
Back in Bali, the recovery efforts resulted in the discovery of a woman’s body near the Badung market in the provincial capital, Denpasar, late Wednesday, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari. Continuing their search, the rescue team is still looking for six persons who remain missing in the province.
Earlier, eight bodies had been found, including four individuals who perished when their building was swept away in the Kumbasari market area of South Denpasar, as reported by Nyoman Sidakarya, the head of Bali’s Search and Rescue Agency.
The intense rainfall caused rivers to overflow, impacting nine cities and districts in Bali. As a result, mud, rocks, and trees crashed into mountain hamlets, and overflowing rivers submerged at least 112 neighborhoods, triggering several landslides. Videos from the National Search and Rescue Agency depicted muddy waters carrying away cars, while soldiers and rescuers assisted children and elderly individuals stranded on the roofs of flooded homes.
Thousands of homes and buildings in residential areas and tourist sites experienced severe flooding. In response, authorities severed electricity and water supplies, prompting hotels, restaurants, hospitals, and other public facilities to utilize generators. Bali’s governor, Wayan Koster, stated that landslides occurred in 18 neighborhoods, sweeping through 15 shops and houses and damaging several roads and bridges. He also mentioned that the disaster has resulted in significant material losses for traders and tourism businesses, with over 800 individuals seeking refuge in temporary shelters.
In Nagekeo, flash floods washed away villagers and vehicles traversing devastated areas, causing a landslide that blocked three roads and leading to the deaths of at least six villagers. Additionally, four individuals remain missing. The conventional weather and challenging terrain hindered rescue efforts, leaving two bridges, two government offices, a plantation, rice fields, and livestock in ruins in Nagekeo.
Indonesia frequently experiences flooding and landslides due to heavy seasonal rains from September to March.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/11/flash-floods-indonesia-bali-deaths
