At last six people were killed after torrential rain sparked horror flash floods in Bali. The downpour started on Tuesday evening and continued into Wednesday, causing two buildings to collapse in the island’s capital Denpasar – killing four in the process.
The flooding turned streets into rushing rivers, which carried off cars. Video images posted to social media show people wading through chest-deep waters, as chaos prevails. Another two deaths were reported in Jembrana in western Bali, while authorities had to evacuate 85 people from their homes.
In total, four regions of the island have been severely disrupted by the extreme weather.
Access to the international airport in Denpasar is limited to trucks – the only vehicles that can safely negotiate the flooded roads.
Nyoman Sidakarya, the head of Bali’s search and rescue agency, said he had dispatched around 200 emergency service workers to help stranded citizens.
The severe weather caused landslides in Bali’s eastern region of Karangasem, closing off roads. The Bali Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) had issued weather warnings ahead of the deluge.
BMKG forecasted moderate to heavy rain, potentially accompanied by lightning and strong winds. “The mass amount of rain was influenced by the active atmospheric waves, known as Rossby Waves,” a spokesperson from BMKG later said.
The torrential rain has also affected the island of East Nusa Tenggara, bringing more chaos and destruction in its wake.
Eighteen villages on the island have reportedly been cut off.
Another four members of the public are missing, according to Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency.
Heavy downpours are normal during the annual monsoon season, which usually occurs between November and April.
