Indonesian Officials announced on Wednesday (September 10) that floods in Bali, Indonesia have caused at least 9 deaths, with two individuals missing and major roads blocked, disrupting life in this bustling tourist destination.
According to Reuters, Abdul Muhari, a spokesperson for Indonesian disaster response agency, stated in a press release that continuous heavy rain from Tuesday night to Wednesday led to flooding in Denpasar, the capital of Bali province, resulting in 5 deaths.
Muhari added that 4 others have been killed in the Jembrana, Gianyar, and Badung regions of Bali province, with two people reported missing.
The disaster response agency reported that out of 600 affected residents, nearly 200 have been evacuated to schools and mosques due to their homes being flooded.
Nyoman Sidakarya, head of the search and rescue agency in Denpasar, explained that the floods collapsed two buildings in the area.
He further mentioned that traffic to the international airport near Denpasar has been disrupted as only trucks are able to pass through.
Videos on social media show major roads submerged in water, causing a complete standstill in traffic. Reuters has not been able to verify the authenticity of these videos.
Nyoman stated that approximately 200 rescue personnel have been dispatched to the affected areas.
Apart from the 9 confirmed fatalities in Bali, the disaster response agency reported that East Nusa Tenggara province in Indonesia also experienced flooding resulting in 4 deaths due to heavy rain.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto expressed condolences for the victims and instructed the head of the national disaster response agency to fly to Bali to oversee emergency response efforts and ensure the basic needs of the people are met.
The agency has distributed tents, food, blankets, mattresses, water pumps, and rubber boats to the affected areas.