Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Environment and Forestry is conducting a Strategic Environmental Assessment (KHLS) in response to severe flooding across parts of Bali, including the critically degraded Ayung River Drainage Basin.

“We are pushing for an immediate KLHS evaluation in Bali,” said Deputy for Pollution and Environmental Damage Control Rasio Ridho Sani during a media briefing on Monday.

The assessment follows an on-site visit by Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq to flood-affected areas, where he observed firsthand the environmental damage and vulnerabilities exposed by the disaster.

According to Sani, the KLHS aims to evaluate current environmental conditions and strengthen planning for ecological carrying capacity—particularly in watersheds like Ayung River Drainage Basin, which suffered extensive damage during extreme rainfall on September 9.

Rainfall that day reached 245.75 millimeters, generating an estimated 121 million cubic meters of water through the Ayung watershed. The surge overwhelmed downstream areas already weakened by extensive deforestation.

Data from the Bali Provincial Government reveals that only 1,500 hectares—just 3 percent—of the 49,500-hectare Ayung River Drainage Basin remain forested.

Experts warn that a minimum of 30 percent forest cover is required to maintain ecological balance and watershed function.

Minister Nurofiq has urged provincial and local governments to prioritize land rehabilitation in Ayung River Drainage Basin and other degraded zones.

The ministry has deployed a technical team to support the KLHS process and identify long-term solutions.

“Our team has been tasked by the minister to ensure sustainable strategies are developed to address Bali’s flooding challenges,” Sani stated.

According to the Bali Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), the floods claimed 17 lives and left four others missing.


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