Two foreign tourists, including an Australian, died on the Indonesian island of Bali in a landslide caused by heavy rains which swept away their villa, an official announced Thursday.
The rainy season which began at the end of November is still underway in Indonesia, with heavy rainfall affecting the tourist island of Bali, particularly the village of Jatiluwih, located in the center of the island.
The canals used for irrigating the rice fields, above a villa, overflowed under the onslaught of very intense rains, which caused a landslide destroying the wooden house occupied by two tourists who were discovered dead, said Nyoman Srinadha Giri, a local disaster management agency official.
The first victim is a 47-year-old Australian woman with a permanent residence permit in the United States.
The second victim is a man who has not been identified.
“There were two victims, a man and a woman, in the same bed, in a sleeping position.
They were evacuated from the rubble,” said the local official.
Their bodies, according to the local press, were transported to Denpasar hospital.
Landslides occur regularly in Indonesia during the rainy season.
The problem has been made worse in some areas by deforestation.
Last week, floods followed by landslides killed at least 27 people on the big island of Sumatra.
Irony of the calendar: On Wednesday, Balinese and tourists participated in a mud bath, known as Mebuug-buugan, in the village of Kedonganan, the day after Nyepi, the Balinese New Year.
To celebrate it, Hindus, the majority on the island, observe a day of silence, fasting and meditation.
Shops are closed, lights are turned off, and even air traffic is halted.