Bridge in Sidemen, Karangasem Collapses After Heavy Rain

A bridge connecting Banyu Campah and Kebung in Telaga Tawang village, Sidemen district, Karangasem, collapsed following heavy rain on Tuesday (21/7/2026). Fortunately, the incident caused no deaths or injuries.

According to the Head of Sidemen district, I Nyoman Swanegara, the bridge still used an old structure. “It happens that there is a river beneath it, and at the time of the incident the water was flowing very strongly, so the bridge eventually gave way,” Swanegara said.

As a result of the incident, local residents must take alternative routes that are considerably longer and narrower. Some have been forced to cross the river on foot.

Given that the road access is vital, Swanegara hopes the relevant agencies will carry out repairs soon. The collapsed bridge served as the main access route to schools and the market.

“We have coordinated with BPBD and the public works agency (PUPR), and they say an assessment will be carried out immediately. Hopefully it can be dealt with quickly,” Swanegara hoped.

Meanwhile, the Head of Operations (Kalaksa) of the Karangasem Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), I Made Aditya Sugiharta, said the BPBD Rapid Response Team (TRC), together with the PUPR agency, is currently assessing the location.

“The technical repairs will later be carried out by the PUPR agency,” Aditya said.

Over the past three days, Karangasem has been hit by a series of disasters, ranging from landslides and fallen trees to road collapses. “We urge the public to remain vigilant and be more careful when carrying out activities, both inside and outside the home,” Aditya concluded.