A sudden surge from an overflowing river destroyed a house in the early hours of Wednesday, sweeping away a 29-year-old woman and her one-year-old daughter as search teams comb the area.
TABANAN, Bali — A devastating flash flood triggered by torrential overnight rain collapsed a family home in Tabanan Regency early Wednesday, January 21, 2026, leaving a mother and her infant daughter missing and presumed swept away by the current.
The incident occurred around 4:00 AM in Kuwum Ancak hamlet, Marga District. The victims have been identified as Yuliana Da Costa Makun, 29, and her one-year-old daughter, Audrey Natania Banafanu. As of Wednesday afternoon, a large-scale joint search and rescue (SAR) operation involving local authorities, the military, police, the National SAR Agency (Basarnas), disaster management officials, and volunteers was actively searching for them.
According to Dudy Librana, Field Coordinator for the Denpasar Class A Search and Rescue Office, intense rainfall caused the Subak Jemanik River to swell rapidly. The situation was critically worsened by the collapse of a riverbank retaining structure.
“The condition was exacerbated by the collapse of a foundation embankment in the river flow. As a result, the floodwaters directly hit the back of the victim’s house. Instantly, the house collapsed and the victims were swept away by the current,” Librana explained.
Intensified Search Operation
Search teams have been divided into two units—one scouring the riverbanks by land and another navigating the waterway itself. Efforts are currently concentrated within a two-kilometer radius downstream from the point where the family was last seen.
“If there are no obstacles in the field, the search will be expanded to the river mouth,” Librana stated, indicating that operations would continue and widen throughout the day.
The tragedy underscores the severe and sudden impact of seasonal weather in Bali, where intense rainfall can rapidly transform calm rivers into destructive torrents, posing direct threats to riverside communities.
Hey Bali News reports on local incidents and emergency responses to keep the community informed.
