The rainy season in Bali only arrived a few short weeks ago, but torrential rain and intense storms have already wreaked havoc across the island.
Over the weekend, 19 flights were disrupted at Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, and as more weather warnings are being issued on a daily basis around the province, tourists must be aware that more disruptions are possible.
On Saturday, 14th December, 19 flights were diverted or delayed due to horrendous weather conditions over Denpasar.
Video footage that went viral online shows poor visibility at Bali Airport, which is accompanied by strong winds and rain. General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, told reporters, “We can convey that the rainy weather that occurred on Saturday, 14th December 2024 resulted in several flights to and from Bali being affected.”
Diverted flights were sent to Surabaya, Lombok, and even Singapore, with four domestic flights and three international flights, with a further ten flights delayed until conditions were safe again.
Shahab told the press, “The diverted flights landed at airports in Surabaya, Lombok, and Singapore. This was done because the high intensity of rain caused minimum visibility so that flights could not be carried out safely.”
With more intense weather forecast over Bali, tourists flying in and out of the province should keep an eye on announcements of weather warnings and changes to flight schedules via their airline and the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Instagram page.
Shahab told reporter,s “We, together with all relevant stakeholders, anticipate current weather conditions by continuing to coordinate and update information.”
The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency for Bali, based in Denpasar, has announced that the rainy season will bring more storms and lightning over the next few months and that the public must be prepared.
Denpasar Weather Forecaster Luh Eka Arisanti told a reporter, “Currently, the rainy season has occurred in most areas of Bali, it is predicted that December and January will be the peak of the rainy season in Bali.”
Based on the latest atmospheric observations made early on Monday, 16th December, the BMKG Bali predicts that most areas of Bali will experience moderate to heavy rain, accompanied by lightning and strong winds of short duration in the next three days.
Arisanti said, “From weather observation data for the last few days, lightning has occurred in almost all areas of Bali but not at the same time.”
She added, “The public can be aware of moderate to heavy rain that can be followed by lightning and strong winds of short duration by reducing outdoor activities during rainy weather. If you are outdoors, avoid open fields or trees and buildings that are potentially hit by lightning and fallen trees.”
Flash flooding, landslides, and falling trees and branches all pose huge threats to public safety during the rainy season in Bali.
The extreme weather conditions of the last two weeks have already claimed the lives of a dozen people in Bali.
On Sunday, the Denpasar Police Public Relations Chief AKP I Ketut Sukadi confirmed that a 24-year-old local fisherman was struck by lightning and killed on Sanur’s popular Mertasari Beach.
Ubud’s Sacred Monkey Forest remains closed to the public after two tourists were killed on the 10th of December by a falling tree.
In the days that followed, management from Ubud’s Monkey Forest published a press statement stating, “With deep regret that a tree fell due to strong winds in the Monkey Forest Ubud area.”
“We would like to emphasize that the fallen tree was in healthy condition. We regularly conduct tree monitoring and pruning as part of our commitment to the safety of visitors, staff, and wildlife in the Monkey Forest Ubud.”
A third tourist was taken to the hospital, and though they had to undergo surgery for their injuries, they are expected to make a full recovery.
In Kintamani, on Wednesday, 11th December, a 10-year-old schoolboy was killed after he was caught in a flash flood over a bridge as he walked home from school.
Across the province, officers from the Disaster Management Agency are on standby to support communities in need alongside local police, the army, and Search and Rescue teams.
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