Landslides and Floods Hit Bali and Java as Rainy Season Begins; Search for Missing Guests Called Off
Indonesia is experiencing landslides and floods across multiple regions as the rainy season begins. In Bali's Badung regency, the search for two guests missing since a landslide on the night of November 1 was called off on November 8 without finding them. Road closures and train delays have also occurred, and travelers should exercise caution near mountainous and riverside areas.
Indonesia is experiencing ongoing floods and landslides as the rainy season sets in across the country.
In Praga village, Badung regency in northern Bali, two guests—one German national and one Indonesian national—went missing after a landslide struck a glamping site on the night of November 1. A seven-day search was conducted but was called off on November 8 without locating them. The search may resume if new leads emerge, and monitoring of the area continues.
Across Bali province, heavy rain on November 1–2 caused damage at 64 locations (Gianyar 15, Karangasem 12, Bangli 11, Klungkung 10, Badung 6, Buleleng 5, Tabanan 5). In Baturiti district, Tabanan regency, landslides and fallen trees blocked the road to a village for about 16 hours, though clearance was completed by midday on November 2. However, a report dated November 3 noted that a shoulder collapse elsewhere in the same district reduced the road to single-lane alternating traffic, with warnings issued about possible secondary landslides following heavy rain.
Outside Bali, Lumajang regency in East Java saw roughly 1,567 households affected by lahar flows from Mount Semeru, river flooding, levee breaches, and landslides, with about 117 households reportedly isolated. The regency has declared a hydrometeorological disaster alert status through January 1, 2027, and local disaster agency BPBD has warned residents to stay away from riverbanks during heavy rain due to the risk of renewed lahar flows. In Bandung, West Java, a tornado and landslides damaged around 520 homes, while a levee breach in the Cipaganti area of Bandung city affected 112 people.
On the railways, landslides near Jember, East Java caused delays of 48 to 258 minutes for three trains departing from Ketapang on November 2, though normal operations reportedly resumed by November 3.
Indonesia's meteorological agency (BMKG) forecasts that the rainy season will arrive later than average in about 60% of the country due to a very strong El Niño, with the season beginning region by region from November and peaking between December and February. The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) issued a directive on October 30 instructing local governments nationwide to identify high-risk areas and strengthen warning systems. As of November 10, heavy rain warnings remain in effect for Sumatra and western Java.
Things to Consider
If heavy rain is forecast, avoid staying, sightseeing, or traveling in mountainous or riverside areas, or build extra buffer time into your itinerary. Before traveling, check the latest warnings on the official websites of BMKG (Indonesia's meteorological agency) and BNPB (the national disaster agency), and confirm flight status with your airline and airport before departure. When choosing accommodation in central-to-eastern Bali (Tabanan, Gianyar, Bangli, Karangasem, etc.), consider proximity to slopes and rivers, and remain alert to secondary landslides after heavy rain, as the ground may remain unstable.
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