Heavy rainfall on 8th and 9th September 2025 has triggered devastating flooding across Bali Province.
From Badung Regency through Denpasar and into parts of Gianyar Regency, including in major tourism destinations, flooding has impacted thousands of families and caused billions of Indonesian Rupiah in damages.
Communities across Bali have been in shock and devastated by the impact of widespread flooding. Search and Rescue Teams, as well as teams from the Disaster Management Agency and community security teams, in addition to police and army units, have been working around the clock to evacuate communities and coordinate emergency responses to flooding, landslides, collapsed buildings, fallen trees, and sinkholes.
Search and Rescue Denpasar told reporters of their difficulty in evacuating communities and coordinating responses due to the volume of people affected and the number of disaster points requiring a response. The Head of Denpasar Search and Rescue Office, I Nyoman Sidakarya, told reporters, “The movement of personnel had encountered obstacles due to the access of the flooded road, so that the rescue truck could not cross.”
Roads across Baundg Regency, including tourism resorts such as Canggu, as well as throughout Denpasar and parts of Ubud, resembled fast-flowing rivers as water levels rose rapidly.
Speaking separately, Juni Antara, the Head of Operations and SAR Preparedness of the Denpasar Search and Rescue Office, shared, “We have limited personnel and rubber boats to be able to cover the entire flood area. We have also carried out coordination efforts with other SAR elements.”
Conditions on Bali’s roads right now are treacherous with more heavy rain and storms forecast, tourists are urged only to travel on a needs-must basis and to be considerate when ordering food deliveries.
Some roads will remain impassable or simply unsafe for days to come, even as cleanup operations are underway.
The Simpang Dewa Ruci Underpass in Denpasar is impassable with flood waters on the evening of the 10th September, reaching 3m, submerging vehicles that had to be abandoned as flood waters rose.
Flooding has caused families across Bali to lose everything. Not only have floods caused damage to interiors, but homes have also collapsed, and cars have been washed away by floodwaters. Communities are banding together to coordinate emergency support responses, to fundraise, and to distribute resources.
A number of crowdfunding campaigns have already been set up to support those affected, including a dog shelter which has been totally destroyed by flood waters, with animals still waiting to be rescued.
Tourists will see evidence of the flooding in almost all major tourist destinations. To name but two examples, in Canggu, Echo Beach is now strewn with flooding debris. In Ubud, a landslide in the Campuhan affected traffic flow around town for several hours, and while the worst has been cleared, the site remains muddied.
Bali-based social media citizen journalism channels are filled with footage from across the island showing scenes as they are unfolding live, as flood water levels rise into Wednesday evening.
Even if rain subsides overnight, the risk of further flooding remains as rainfall over the higher and more central parts of the island travels downstream towards the tourism resorts of Badung Regency and Denpasar.
Rapid development across the island has removed many of the natural floodplains and water distribution channels; this, along with poor waste management and river debris, has intensified the impact of the flooding.
Tourists are urged to be cooperative with authorities and community leaders and to understand that coordinated efforts mean that attention and resources will be focused on top-priority areas first and foremost.
Some tourists who needed to get to the airport from the Dewa Ruci Statue area in Kuta were evacuated by army officers by kayak and then taken by army truck to Ngurah Rai Airport in order to catch their flights.
Despite the flooding and incoming weather forecast, Bali Airport remains open and fully operational. However, accessing the airport on the usual routes will be difficult in the coming days, and tourists are advised to leave more than enough time to travel to the airport and prioritise safety at all times, including that of their driver, after they have been dropped off at the airport.
The Head of Communications at Bali Airport, Gede Eka Sandi Asmadi, told reporters on Wednesday, 10th September, “It’s still normal both coming and leaving.”
Separately, Weather Forecaster for the Center of Metrology, Climatology and Geophysics Bali, Brian Eko Permadi, explained that the heavy rainfall marks the beginning of the monsoon season, which typically does not begin until late October. Rain typically intensifies in November and December, and often into January, with the last of the heavy rains falling in early March.
Permadi explained, “It is entering the transition period, and the weather dynamics are classified as unstable. Sometimes it rains, sometimes it’s hot. This condition is also influenced by the atmospheric phenomenon of Rossby’s equatorial wave, plus the seasonal transition factor.”
He added, “Rain can be accompanied by lightning, thunder, and strong winds. We ask the public to keep up to date with the latest weather information from BKMG Bali.”
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Steve bm
Friday 12th of September 2025
The water has nowhere to go fall on your swords bali governments of last 30 years
Exp
Thursday 11th of September 2025
Uncontrolled developments in what used to be mangrove areas, river flood plains and water catchments like rice fields. The same issue as in Jakarta with flood water forced to "use the roads" finding it's way to the sea.
Shorty
Sunday 14th of September 2025
@Exp,
Yes that's part of the reason Probably the major contributor is around half the city is below sea level. Add it's sinking.
M
Thursday 11th of September 2025
Denpasar should take example from the flood tunnel system in other cities like Tokyo... it happens every year again. Plus the existing drains and canals, rivers and subak are clogged with waste. Cementification and lack of proper green areas does the rest. No wonder at all but the business goes on as usual. Mother Nature now presents the bill and once again remembers the leaders and politicians what's going wrong and should be done.