DENPASAR (Bernama-ANTARA): The Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) of Bali has begun installing early warning systems at six locations deemed most vulnerable to flooding in Denpasar City, following lessons learned from the major floods in September 2025, reported ANTARA News Agency.
The agency is installing such systems at six priority points: along the Badung River near Kumbasari Market, the Wangaya Bunga Market bridge, the Wangaya flood control structure, the Wangaya Muslim Village bridge, the Badung River bridge on Hasanudin Street, and another bridge on Pekambingan Street.
Addressing the press in Denpasar on Sunday, BPBD Bali Head I Gede Agung Teja Bhusana Yadnya said his office is collaborating with the state-run electricity company PLN and the Disaster Risk Reduction Forum to provide and instal the systems.
He emphasised that installing the systems is crucial for Bali to anticipate rising water levels ahead of the peak of the rainy season early this year and ultimately reduce the risk of flooding.
The official further explained that the BPBD first initiated the flood-prevention effort in November last year, beginning with designing the concept, assembling the equipment, and conducting preliminary tests.
"Rather than procuring the equipment from vendors, we opted to develop our own innovations for efficiency. We then conducted field studies to determine the height of each sensor and coordinated with PLN, which has provided full support for the installation," Yadnya said.
Elaborating further, he said the BPBD is installing sensors in rivers, with sirens positioned above the water, similar to tsunami early warning systems.
"The sirens might sound three times: first at a 30-centimetre (cm) rise above normal, then at 86 cm, and finally at 150 cm to signal evacuation. In total, the evacuation threshold for the Kumbasari Market sensor is 266 cm, which varies by location," he explained.
Yadnya added that the BPBD aims to complete the installation by January 12 and will disseminate information to residents and people active within a 200-300 metre radius of the alarms. -- Bernama-ANTARA
