Three killed in Ngis Kaler landslide in Karangasem

Karangasem — Three residents of Banjar Dinas Ngis Kaler, Tribuana village, Abang district, Karangasem, were killed in a landslide that struck their home in early July 2023 during heavy rain, according to disaster authorities and local media reports.

The victims were identified as I Ketut Tunas, his wife Ni Nyoman Ririg, and their grandchild I Komang Aditya, all residents of Ngis, Tribuana village in eastern Bali, according to Bali’s provincial disaster management agency and local news coverage.

Initial reports said the landslide hit the family’s house on the night of Thursday, 6 July 2023, after intense rainfall in the area, sweeping all three occupants with soil and debris, according to village officials quoted by regional media.

Rescue teams recovered the body of I Ketut Tunas soon after the incident, while Ni Nyoman Ririg was evacuated alive with serious injuries and taken to hospital in Karangasem for treatment.

Search and rescue operations continued for the missing grandchild, I Komang Aditya, with a joint team working through difficult terrain and unstable slopes.

On Saturday, 8 July 2023, the joint search team located and evacuated Aditya’s body from the landslide material, bringing the confirmed death toll in the Ngis Kaler incident to two at that stage, according to the local search and rescue post.

Subsequent reporting by disaster officials and local media stated that Ni Nyoman Ririg later died while undergoing treatment at a referral hospital in Denpasar, bringing the total fatalities from the Ngis Kaler landslide to three.

Emergency response and damage

According to Bali’s provincial disaster management agency, the landslide in Ngis Kaler formed part of a wider series of flood and landslide events recorded across Bali in early July 2023.

Data published by national and provincial authorities in the days after the incident noted dozens of landslide points, fallen trees and damaged houses, with multiple regencies, including Karangasem and Bangli, reporting casualties.

In Ngis Kaler, a single family home was reported destroyed by the landslide, with one family directly impacted and residents from the surrounding area temporarily displaced while emergency work was carried out.

Local officials reported additional landslide locations in the Abang area and other parts of Karangasem during the same period, along with damage to houses and minor infrastructure.

Disaster management officials said joint operations involved personnel from local disaster agencies, the search and rescue service, the Indonesian military and police, and community volunteers in affected parts of Karangasem.

Travel and safety considerations

The landslide in Ngis Kaler, Tribuana, occurred in July 2023 and is not a newly reported event, but it highlights ongoing landslide risk in parts of Karangasem, including Abang district.

Provincial risk mapping has identified several villages in Abang, including Tribuana, as prone to landslides, reflecting a combination of steep terrain, rainfall patterns and local land use.

Authorities at the national and provincial level have urged local governments and residents in risk areas to remain prepared for wet hydrometeorological hazards such as landslides, floods and strong winds, and to consider early evacuation to safe locations during intense or prolonged rain.

Visitors travelling through hilly areas of eastern Bali, particularly in heavy rain, are advised to follow local guidance, pay attention to any road advisories or weather warnings, and avoid stopping near steep, saturated slopes.

Sources

• Kontan regional disaster report
• Mongabay Indonesia disaster analysis
• Pos Merdeka local news report
• Redaksi9 summary of BPBD Bali disaster data
• DPD RI Bali provincial office news item