Bali floods claim six lives, shophouses swept away, residents trapped

Floods in Bali, Indonesia, have wreaked havoc as four people went missing and two were confirmed dead on Wednesday, September 10. This brings the death toll to six since Monday.

Heavy downpours have been continuing since Monday prompting warnings for the residents of low-lying areas as floods sweep through several shophouses.

For context, in Bali, Indonesia, a shophouse (or ruko) is a multi-story building that combines a commercial business on the ground floor with a residential space on the upper floors.

Initially, six people went missing, however, two were rescued safely and were being treated at a hospital.

Lakshmi Krisna Dewi, West Denpasar Police Chief Commissioner said, “Four people are still missing. They came from two different shop houses,” adding that joint teams from the Bali Police and Denpasar Police are trying to locate and rescue the missing victims.

The Police commissioner also urged residents to remain indoors to stay safe, adding, “Tukad Badung river’s strong current eroded much of the surrounding structures.”

Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency said 85 have been evacuated in the region of Jembrana.

Nyoman Sidakarya, the head of the island’s search and rescue agency, said, “About 200 rescuers have been dispatched to ensure the safety of the residents.”