Indonesia: King tides feared to hit bali until September -- Expert

Antara 9 Jun 16;

Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA News) - An expert in environment has said sea water flooding (Rob) is feared to hit the southern coastal areas of Bali until September this year.

"Rob is a natural phenomenon that could happen from year to year not only in Bali," Dr Made Mangku said here on Wednesday.

Rob could come in three days after full moon in the next four months or until September, Dr Made, the coordinator of the secretariat of Environmental Preservation of Bali, said .

He said the southern coast of Bali is more likely to be hit by Rob when the tide rises as it faces an open sea.

Rob already hit the Kuta beach of Badung, and the Sanur beach of Denpasar over the past several days with rolling big waves.

He said the rob this time was more devastating, as it was possible to have been triggered by earthquake in other areas coming almost at the same time , he said.

"I hope the people would not be wrong in thinking that Rob has occurred only now and it is related to reclamation plan in Teluk Benoa," he said.

Made Mangku said Rob could have occurred in the Kuta beach in earlier years but not as big as now as there was no earthquake when the tide was high.

He said in fact Balinese have experienced Rob flooding in earlier years known as thief tide.

The people in Bali did not feel the impact of Rob in earlier years as the residential areas are quite far from the beach and the rob flooding hit only farm lands.

"Now the impact of Rob flooding is stronger as the people began to build their houses close to the beach. If the people obeyed the regulation banning them from building houses beyond the limit of 100 meters from the rim , they certainly not suffer the impact of the Rob flooding," he said.

Damage by abrasion would open wider areas to be hit by Rob flooding onshore, he said, adding abrasion is caused not only by global warming but also caused by human misbehavior.(*)