An incident at the popular Monkey Forest tourist attraction in Ubud, Bali, on Tuesday noon left two foreign tourists dead and another injured when multiple trees fell amid strong winds and heavy rain.
The victims were identified to be 32 year-old French and 42-year-old South Korean, according to Ubud Police Chief Commissioner Gusti Nyoman Sudarsana. A third tourist, 43-year-old South Korean, sustained injuries and is receiving treatment at a nearby medical facility.
The disaster occurred around noon when towering trees, including a banyan and pule tree, collapsed, creating chaos in the forest.
Video footage showed tourists running for safety as the trees came crashing down. While some managed to escape, others were caught under the falling debris.
In response to the tragedy, Monkey Forest has been temporarily closed for cleanup and restoration. “The area is closed to allow for debris removal and recovery,” Commissioner Sudarsana said.
Aftermath of Hazardous Weather
The region has been experiencing heavy rains and strong winds, which local authorities attribute to the incident.
The fallen tree was among several reported cases of weather-related damage on Tuesday. A separate incident in Payangan saw a utility pole fall onto a home, while another tree collapse damaged a motorbike. No fatalities were reported in these additional events.
Emergency teams have been stretched thin, as adverse weather continues to wreak havoc across the area.
“Given our limited personnel, we are addressing incidents step by step,” said I Gusti Ngurah Dibya Presasta, Head of Emergency and Logistics at BPBD Gianyar.
