A flash flood wreaked havoc on Thursday afternoon (12/12/2024) in Tulamben Village, Kubu District, Karangasem, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Over a dozen houses, sacred family shrines (pelinggih), motorcycles, and electronic appliances were damaged in the deluge.
The Karangasem Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) conducted an assessment on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, to evaluate the damage. The inspection revealed varying levels of destruction to residents’ properties.
“Some walls [pagar penyengker] were breached, yards were submerged in mud, and several sacred shrines were damaged,” explained Ida Bagus Ketut Arimbawa, Head of BPBD Karangasem.
The floodwaters swept away and submerged motorcycles, damaged the walls of Tulamben Public Elementary School (SDN 1 Tulamben), and caused destruction to the Rubaya Public Market. Household electronics such as refrigerators, televisions, and stoves were also left waterlogged.
Adding to the challenges, a collapsed bridge has left eight families (33 individuals) isolated. “For now, residents can only cross the area on foot,” said Arimbawa.
Meanwhile, the Amlapura-Singaraja route, which had been blocked by sand, mud, and gravel brought by the flood, has been cleared through community efforts. The National Roads Agency deployed heavy machinery to assist, restoring traffic flow to normal.
Efforts to aid affected residents and rebuild damaged infrastructure are ongoing as the community works to recover from this disaster.
