Indonesia: 11 dead, 13 missing as flash floods devastate Bali and east Nusa Tenggara

Indonesian rescuers have recovered the bodies of at least 11 people, while 13 others remain missing, after flash floods and landslides swept across two provinces, authorities said Wednesday. The disaster followed torrential rains that began on Monday, triggering widespread flooding and landslides in East Nusa Tenggara province and on the tourist island of Bali. 9News report that in East Nusa Tenggara’s Nagekeo district, officials reported that three members of a family were killed after their house was swept away. Five other residents remain missing. National Disaster Management Agency spoke

Indonesian rescuers have recovered the bodies of at least 11 people, while 13 others remain missing, after flash floods and landslides swept across two provinces, authorities said Wednesday. The disaster followed torrential rains that began on Monday, triggering widespread flooding and landslides in East Nusa Tenggara province and on the tourist island of Bali. 9News report that in East Nusa Tenggara’s Nagekeo district, officials reported that three members of a family were killed after their house was swept away. Five other residents remain missing. National Disaster Management Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said the flash floods in Nagekeo swept away villagers and vehicles, and triggered a landslide that blocked three roads. At least three villagers were killed and four others are missing. The floods also destroyed two bridges, two government offices, a plantation, rice fields and livestock, Muhari added. He said severe weather and rugged terrain have hampered rescue efforts. On Bali, rescuers retrieved eight bodies from several locations, with eight people still missing, according to Muhammad Iqbal Simatupang, the police chief in the provincial capital, Denpasar. The floods caused rivers to overflow, tearing through nine cities and districts. The Bali Disaster Mitigation Agency said mud, rocks and trees tumbled onto mountainside hamlets, while rising rivers submerged at least 112 neighborhoods and triggered several landslides. In South Denpasar’s Kumbasari market area, four people were inside a building that collapsed and was swept away, said Nyoman Sidakarya, head of Bali’s Search and Rescue Agency. Dramatic videos released by the National Search and Rescue Agency showed cars floating in muddy waters, while soldiers and rescuers in rubber boats evacuated children and elderly residents stranded on the roofs of flooded homes and buildings. Severe flooding inundated thousands of homes and buildings, including residential areas and tourist sites. Bali Governor Wayan Koster said electricity and water supplies had been cut, forcing hotels, restaurants, hospitals and public facilities to rely on generators. Koster added that landslides had struck 18 neighborhoods in Karangasem, Gianyar and Badung districts. Floods also swept through at least 15 shops and houses, damaging several roads and bridges. “This disaster also caused material losses for traders and tourism businesses,” Koster said, noting that more than 800 people had been forced into temporary shelters after floodwaters rose as high as 2.5 meters in some areas. Indonesia frequently suffers flooding and landslides during the rainy season, which typically lasts from September to March.