Bali flash floods have exposed the island’s growing vulnerability to extreme weather and unchecked development. Recent floods swept through several districts, causing casualties, damaging homes, and disrupting infrastructure. These disasters highlight urgent questions about land conversion, overtourism, and the need for better environmental governance.
Bali Flash Flood: More Than Just a Natural Disaster
The flash floods caused widespread destruction across multiple regencies. The disaster claimed 16 lives and forced 562 residents to evacuate to temporary shelters. Bridges collapsed, homes were damaged, and hundreds of businesses, including 474 kiosks at Badung Market, were affected.
BNPB head Suharyanto explained, “Some roads and bridges were damaged. Only a few houses, but 474 kiosks in Badung Market were hit.” He also emphasized the unpredictability of extreme weather: “This is an important reminder that climate change is unpredictable, even though BMKG gives daily weather updates.”
Military and rescue teams worked to evacuate victims and secure affected areas. Brig. Gen. Ida I Dewa Agung Hadi Saputra reported, “At 9:33 p.m. WITA, the body of Mrs. Hajah Maimunah was found.” This marks the severity of the event, which has become one of the deadliest in Bali in the past decade.
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Bali Flood Is the Hidden Cost of Overtourism
Overtourism has put significant pressure on Bali’s infrastructure. Millions of visitors annually have fueled the expansion of hotels, villas, and other tourist facilities. Unfortunately, this rapid growth often occurs without sustainable land management.
Areas like Sarbagita, Pasar Gianyar, Badung, and Tabanan are particularly vulnerable due to high development pressure. Environmental disruption, blocked rivers, and reduced green spaces have increased flood risks.
Key hidden costs of overtourism include:
- Conversion of rice fields and wetlands, reducing natural water absorption.
- Overloaded drainage systems in high-tourist zones.
- Increased waste and pollution affecting waterways.
WALHI Bali director Made Krisna Dinata explained, “This flood is not solely due to rainfall intensity. Poor environmental governance, especially land conversion, is the main trigger.” He highlighted that years of accumulated environmental degradation have made these floods more severe than previous events.
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Bali Flood: Dangerous Reality of Land Conversion
Unchecked land conversion has transformed large areas into concrete-heavy zones. Developers often build on rice paddies and riverbanks, undermining the natural systems that protect communities from flooding. Between 2018 and 2023, rice field areas in Pasar Gianyar, Badung, and Tabanan decreased by approximately 784.67 hectares, with Tabanan losing 2,676.61 hectares.
Krisna noted, “This is the accumulation of years of land conversion. The impact becomes very clear when major floods occur.” He added, “This is an accumulated flood. The natural systems that should absorb water are already damaged, so the impact is much greater.”
These figures illustrate how rapid development, if unregulated, diminishes the land’s ability to handle extreme rainfall and creates cascading risks for communities.
A Call for Accountability: Why Enforcement and Spatial Planning Are Key
Officials stress that Bali cannot prevent future floods without stricter enforcement and sustainable spatial planning. The government must prioritize long-term environmental governance over short-term development gains.
Potential solutions include:
- Enforcing strict building codes near rivers and flood-prone areas.
- Restoring wetlands and rice paddies as natural flood buffers.
- Improving drainage systems using eco-friendly designs.
- Conducting thorough environmental impact assessments before development approval.
Indrajaya Yudhistira from the House of Representatives highlighted that the floods demonstrate the consequences of inconsistent land-use enforcement and stressed the need for strict spatial planning to prevent future disasters and safeguard Bali’s reputation. He also warned that Bali’s land-use policies must be consistent to prevent future calamities and maintain Indonesia’s international reputation.
Building a Safer and Sustainable Bali
Bali flash floods are no longer rare, isolated events. They reveal the consequences of mismanaged growth and uncontrolled land use. Protecting the subak system and farmland, enforcing spatial planning, and mitigating environmental damage are critical. If development aligns with ecological principles, Bali can reduce flood risks while preserving its cultural and natural heritage for generations to come.
Source: voi.id, news.detik.com, bicaranetwork.com
Image: ABC News / Tim Swanston