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Bali hit by wet season floods

Hundreds of families had to be evacuated from their homes. - Reuters

Rivers have burst their banks due to monsoonal rain on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali, leaving 2,000 homes under water and tourists shut in their hotels, officials say.

"Heavy rain fell non-stop for over eight hours yesterday. The rain and high tides caused some rivers in Bali to overflow and flooding in several areas," Bali welfare department chief Anak Agung Gde Alip said.

Denpasar city and the southern regencies of Gianyar and Badung were flooded, affecting souvenir shops and homes, he said.

Floods hit tourist spots such as the resorts of Kuta and Legian, the arts village of Ubud and Gianyar regency, especially around River Mumbul, inundating homes, restaurants and museums, Antara news agency reported.

"Tourists stayed in yesterday, but the rains have stopped so they are out again," Mr Alip said.

He said the waters had begun to recede but hundreds of families had to be evacuated from their homes and given shelter in temporary relief camps.

"In one area called Sindhu, people were neck deep in water and had to climb onto their rooftops. Their houses were submerged and they lost their belongings like television sets and furniture. We are rescuing them," he said.

Mr Alip was unable to provide an estimate of property loss, but expected it to be "massive".

- AFP

- AFP

© AFP 2008

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