Ground movement occurs in Lokapaksa, Buleleng, four homes affected
Ground movement occurred in Banjar Dinas Sorga, Lokapaksa Village, Seririt Sub-district, Buleleng, Bali. The incident damaged several residents’ houses due to ground subsidence.
Gede Suyasa, Head of the Implementing Team (Kalaksa) of the Buleleng Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), said observers had conducted assessments with expert teams to determine the cause of the ground movement. The expert team comprised the Indonesian Geodesy Association (IAGI), the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), and academics from Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha (Undiksha).
“After our observations, we engaged expert teams from IAGI, BMKG and Undiksha to jointly assess what is actually happening,” Suyasa said, at his office on Sunday, 8 March 2026.
Based on the preliminary conclusions, the area remains safe for habitation. However, residents are asked to stay vigilant, especially during heavy rainfall. BPBD Buleleng has also advised residents to evacuate temporarily if heavy rain falls in the area.
Suyasa explained that initial observations indicate the soil in the area is believed to derive from weathering of ancient soil material from the eruption of Mount Jembrana. This soil type is considered highly sensitive to water.
The team also analysed the possibility of vibrations as a trigger for the ground movement. However, the data showed there was no seismic activity at the time of the incident.
BPBD Buleleng data shows about four residents’ houses were affected; two houses even sustained significant damage. “Two houses’ verandas collapsed due to ground subsidence of around 30 to 50 centimetres. There were also kitchens and bathrooms damaged,” Suyasa said.
The IAGI team is scheduled to return to the site with geoelectric equipment to confirm subsurface soil conditions and assess potential movement in the area. “Tomorrow the IAGI team will return with geoelectric equipment to confirm underground conditions and the potential movement,” Suyasa said.
In addition to the study, BPBD Buleleng will also run outreach sessions for residents on mitigation steps if movement recurs. The outreach is planned with LPBI NU, providing preparedness training to the surrounding community.
“We will also gather residents around two or three in the afternoon to provide information so that the community knows what steps to take if a similar incident occurs,” Suyasa said.
The ground movement first occurred on 27 February 2026. BPBD Buleleng subsequently conducted an assessment on 2 March, followed by a site visit with Undiksha on 3 March, and involvement of expert teams on 5 March.
Residents are still living in their homes. They have been advised to evacuate temporarily to relatives’ homes if heavy rainfall recurs.