Denpasar. Operations at Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport remain unaffected despite severe flooding triggered by more than 24 hours of torrential rain that has inundated much of Denpasar and surrounding districts.

Airport Communication and Legal Division Head Gede Eka Sandi Asmadi said the situation was deemed force majeure, or an extraordinary circumstance beyond control, but insisted efforts were being made to maintain service standards.

“We continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure operations and passenger services run smoothly,” Asmadi told reporters on Wednesday evening.

Access to the airport, however, has been disrupted. Several main routes were submerged, leaving only large vehicles such as trucks able to pass through. Airport authorities have advised passengers to arrive earlier than usual and to anticipate diversions or delays.

“As part of mitigation, we are adding passenger seating facilities, deploying more terminal service staff, and coordinating with airlines to assist passengers who may miss flights and require rescheduling,” Asmadi said. He added that coordination with ground transport providers was underway to secure vehicles for both departing and arriving passengers amid heavy congestion.

Despite the challenges, flight operations in Bali’s south remained normal as of Wednesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Denpasar municipal authority officially declared an emergency status to accelerate disaster response efforts after the downpour left large areas of the city underwater.

“This emergency status is crucial to ensure all responses can be integrated, prompt, and accurate with the involvement of all stakeholders,” Mayor I Gusti Ngurah Jaya Negara said during a coordination meeting.

Emergency response posts have been set up across the city, supported by the regional disaster agency, health workers, and social services officers. Local leaders have been instructed to collect data on affected residents to speed up relief distribution.

The floods were caused by overflowing rivers after a surge in water discharge from upstream areas, authorities said. Indonesia’s meteorology agency has warned that heavy rainfall is likely to continue throughout the week.

According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), at least nine people dead and two missing. Denpasar was the hardest hit, along with Jembrana, Gianyar, Klungkung, Badung, and Tabanan districts. BNPB reported that 202 families, or 620 people, were directly affected, with hundreds forced to evacuate to schools, temples, and other public buildings.