Giant Banyan Tree Falls on Wantilan in Karangasem

A giant banyan tree fell onto the wantilan, or bale pegongan, at Pura Pemaksan in Banjar Adat Mendira, Sengkidu Village, Manggis District, Karangasem, Bali. The tree, believed to be hundreds of years old, came down while residents were holding a religious ceremony nearby.

“Before the tree fell, people nearby heard a cracking sound, which indicated that it was about to come down,” Sengkidu Village Head I Wayan Darpi said on Wednesday (28 October 2026).

Residents in the vicinity immediately moved away. A few minutes later, the tree, which was five metres tall and two metres wide, fell onto the bale pegongan at Pura Pemaksan, destroying its roof.

Darpi said local residents regularly pruned the tree’s branches to prevent it from becoming too dense, particularly because many homes are located nearby. “It probably fell because it had simply reached the end of its life,” he said.

The fallen tree also damaged the temple’s boundary wall and one palinggih, or shrine. The material losses are estimated at around Rp50 million.

Karangasem Disaster Management Agency chief I Made Aditya Sugiharta said several personnel had been sent to the scene to deal with the incident. Local residents were also helping so that the religious ceremony in the area could proceed smoothly.

“The fallen tree is quite large, and personnel are still working at the site,” Aditya said.