Jembrana Installs Three Flood Warning Systems

Jembrana — Badan Penanggulangan Bencana Daerah (BPBD) Jembrana confirmed on Nov. 9 that three flood early-warning systems had been installed along rivers in the regency. The devices were placed at locations considered vulnerable to flooding, including the Bilukpoh-Penyaringan, Samblong and Loloan river channels.

The change comes as Bali enters the rainy season, when heavier rain can raise the risk of flooding and landslides. BPBD Jembrana said the systems were installed in early October with assistance from PT PLN, Indonesia’s state electricity company. The agency said Jembrana has identified 11 locations that need flood-warning equipment, meaning the three installed systems do not cover every vulnerable river area.

The systems monitor water levels. When the water reaches a set height, an alarm sounds; a further rise triggers a louder warning intended to alert nearby residents to prepare or leave the area. The equipment is designed to provide earlier notice of possible flooding, including flash floods, rather than prevent the flooding itself.

Why the three systems matter in Jembrana

For foreign residents and visitors in Jembrana, the practical significance is that warnings may be issued locally before rising river water reaches nearby homes, roads or other public areas. The systems are concentrated near river sections that have experienced flooding or inundation in previous years, so their coverage is location-specific rather than a regency-wide warning service.

BPBD Jembrana’s head of operations, I Putu Agus Artana Putra, said the arrival of the rainy season required greater awareness because wet-season conditions can bring both floods and landslides. The three devices were reported at Bilukpoh-Penyaringan, Samblong and Loloan, where past flooding or heavy rain had created risks for surrounding communities.

Earlier reporting said the agency had mapped 11 river locations requiring warning systems. The devices installed in Jembrana were supplied through PLN assistance, while the warning mechanism relies on water-level changes to activate the alarm. The reports do not state a completion date for installing the remaining systems.

Sources

• Bali Post — regional news organisation
• NusaBali — regional news organisation