A tragedy has unfolded at Masceti Beach in Keramas, Bali, following a week of extreme waves hitting the island.
A 48-year-old local woman has lost her life after being swept out to sea by extreme waves on Wednesday afternoon.
On Monday, 22nd June, the Denpasar Region III Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BBMKG) issued an early weather warning for the Bali region for 22nd – 24th June, with further weather warnings expected to be announced in the coming days, which have now come to pass.
Speaking to reporters earlier this week, Cahyo Nugroho, Head of the BMKG Region III Denpasar, explained that the public needs to be aware of potentially dangerous weather conditions that could impact daily activities and tourist visas.
He noted, “From June 22nd to 23rd, there is potential for moderate to heavy rain in several areas of Bali. Furthermore, from June 23rd to 24th, the public needs to be aware of the potential for strong winds, especially in the Badung and Klungkung regions.”
The BMKG also announced that waves of 1.25-2.5 meters are likely to occur in the southern Lombok Strait, the Badung Strait, the southern Bali Strait, and the waters south of Bali Island.
Boat operators, including fishing boats and tourism service boats, have been ordered to reduce speeds if winds reach 15 knots and waves reach 1.5m or more.
The warnings were in place for the coastlines across Badung, Buleleng, Gianyar, Jembrana, Karangasem, and Tabanan, which include hotspots like Canggu, Seminyak, Legian, Kuta, Jimbaran, Uluwatu, and Nusa Dua.
Emergency response teams in Gianyar Regency have confirmed the death of a 48-year-old resident known by her initials as NM, on the afternoon of Wednesday, 24th June.
The woman and her husband had been visiting Keramas Beach, one of the closest beaches to their home, for sand therapy. In many communities across Bali, there is a belief that the high mineral content of the black sand beaches of Bali can help alleviate a number of different ailments.
Local residents will often visit the beaches and cover their legs and sometimes their torsos with compacted sand for a compression-style treatment.
The Head of the Gianyar Police Water Police, AKP I Gede Budarasa, said NM was suspected of being swept away by the current in the late morning before finally being found at 3 pm in the waters of Puas Beach, Keramas Village, by a tourist who was out in the water surfing.
AKP Budarasa told reporters, “After we conducted a search with the joint team, the victim, who was thought to have been swept away by the current since morning, was finally found around the western part of Masceti Beach. The victim was found by foreigners who happened to be surfing at that location.”
Initial reporting suggests that NM’s husband had left her for a couple of minutes to buy tea at a beach cafe. NM is reported to have been set 15m clear of the shoreline when a tidal swell came and swept her away within seconds.
An emergency response was immediately launched, and the four-hour search was coordinated by local lifeguards, the Gianyar Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the Gianyar Police Water Police Unit (Satpolairud), the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), and the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI).
Tourists traveling in Bali over the coming days must be aware that the Bali Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency has issued extended high wave warnings across the island’s most popular beach resorts, including destinations like Kuta, Legian, Seminyak, Canggu, and Uluwatu.
High waves are not the only concern for tourists, but powerful undercurrents are too. Before entering the water at any of Bali’s beaches, tourists must make sure to observe any flag warnings that are in place.
At beaches that do not have a flag system or lifeguards on duty, it is important to check with local community members and beach business staff (e.g., surf instructors and wait staff) if it is safe to swim.
Toutists should keep following us here at The Bali Sun for all the latest news and weather updates. It’s also recommended to follow the Bali Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency on Instagram for in-depth wave and weather reports.
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