Indonesia Flash Floods: 11 Dead and 13 Missing

Indonesian rescuers have recovered at least 11 bodies, while 13 others remain missing after flash floods struck two provinces, officials confirmed Wednesday.

The disaster was triggered by heavy rains starting Monday, which caused floods and landslides in East Nusa Tenggara and on the tourist island of Bali.

In East Nusa Tenggara’s Nagekeo district, three members of a family died when their home was swept away, and five more people are still unaccounted for. Meanwhile, in Bali, eight bodies have been found across several locations, with another eight residents still missing, according to Bali police chief Muhammad Iqbal Simatupang.

Floodwaters burst riverbanks across nine cities and districts in Bali, sending mud, rocks, and trees crashing into hillside villages. At least 112 neighborhoods were submerged, while landslides caused additional destruction, Bali’s Disaster Mitigation Agency reported.

In South Denpasar, four people were inside a building at Kumbasari market that collapsed and was carried away by floodwaters, said Nyoman Sidakarya, head of Bali’s Search and Rescue Agency.

Footage from the National Search and Rescue Agency showed cars swept away in muddy waters and soldiers evacuating children and elderly residents from rooftops with rubber boats.

The flooding also hit residential areas and tourist destinations, leaving thousands of homes and businesses underwater. Authorities shut down power and water supplies, forcing hotels, hospitals, and restaurants to rely on generators, Bali Governor Wayan Koster said. He added that landslides damaged at least 15 houses, shops, roads, and bridges in Karangasem, Gianyar, and Badung districts, while more than 800 residents have sought shelter after water levels rose to 2.5 meters (8 feet).

In Nagekeo, the floods swept away villagers and vehicles, triggered a landslide that blocked three roads, and destroyed two bridges, government buildings, farmland, and livestock, National Disaster Management Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari reported.

Rescue operations remain challenging due to ongoing severe weather and difficult terrain. Seasonal heavy rains between September and March often lead to flooding and landslides across Indonesia.