The Chief Executive of Regional Disaster Management Agency, I Made Rentin, said that the extreme weather that hit Bali between December 9 and 15, 2024 had caused at least 168 disaster events.
Based on data collected by the Bali Regional Disaster Management Agency, the impact of this bad weather was felt throughout the entire region of Bali, with heavy rain, strong winds, and high waves that occurred almost throughout the period.
“The 168 incidents resulted in 5 fatalities and at least IDR 1.085 billion in damages,” said Made Rentin in his official statement on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
The extreme weather occurred in Bali is expected to continue until the end of December 2024, disrupting various sectors, especially tourism which is the main backbone of Bali’s economy.
The disruption also affected flights, which in recent days have been forced to undergo schedule changes or cancellations.
According to a report from CNN Indonesia, as many as 19 domestic and international flights to or out of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, Bali, were forced to be diverted or postponed due to the extreme weather.
The heavy rain that poured over the airport area caused limited visibility, especially on the runway, thus endangering flight safety.
Bali Airport Diverts and Delays Flights
General Manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, explained that the process of diverting and delaying this flight was carried out for the safety of passengers and crew.
According to him, the heavy rain that fell from noon to around 17.00 WITA caused very limited visibility, so diversion and postponement actions were necessary steps.
Syaugi said that seven domestic and international flights to Bali were forced to be diverted to the nearest airport.
Some of the domestic flights diverted include from Makassar and Kupang which landed at Surabaya’s Juanda Airport, as well as flights from Yogyakarta and Jakarta which were diverted to Lombok International Airport.
Meanwhile, three international flights were also affected, namely flights from Taipei which were diverted to Surabaya, from Pudong which landed in Lombok, and flights from Dubai which were diverted to Singapore.
In addition to the diverted flights, there are also a number of flights that must be postponed. A total of eight domestic flights and four international flights from Bali had to be delayed for 1.5 to 2 hours.
This delay process occurred due to heavy rain that lasted for quite a long time, reducing visibility in the airport area and causing restrictions on aircraft operations.
The impact of this extreme weather is clearly felt for Bali’s tourism sector. Given that Bali is one of the main tourist destinations in Indonesia, disruptions to flights could reduce the number of tourists coming or leaving the island.
Delayed or diverted flights will affect the arrival and return times of tourists, and can disrupt various tourism activities that rely heavily on air transportation.
Importance of Disaster Preparedness
The government and all related parties, including, Regional Disaster Management Agency and Ngurah Rai Airport, as well as transportation and tourism operators, continue to coordinate to anticipate this extreme weather condition.
They ensure that the latest weather information continues to be disseminated to the public, so that both locals and tourists can take the necessary preventive measures. In addition, they also reminded the importance of vigilance and readiness to face natural disasters that can occur at any time.
The extreme weather that hit Bali is also a reminder of the importance of infrastructure that is ready to face various threats of bad weather.
By preparing for better disaster mitigation, it is hoped that Bali can be more resilient in the face of increasingly uncertain climate change, while maintaining the safety and comfort of residents and tourists who visit.
Sources: CNN Indonesia, KabarNusa
Image: via Shutterstock
