Satellite imagery shows significant land use changes over time, with natural landscapes replaced by urban infrastructure, reducing water absorption capacity and increasing flood risks.

Tourism has surged with over 4.6 million visitors in the first seven months of 2025, surpassing the native population of 4.4 million, which puts additional pressure on infrastructure and environmental resources.

Local authorities are actively demolishing illegal structures and enforcing zoning laws along rivers and hillsides to reduce disaster risks.

Rapid urbanization and tourism expansion have transformed Bali’s landscape, replacing natural drainage areas like rice terraces and coconut groves with roads and buildings, which exacerbates flooding.

The government plans to shut a major landfill and develop a waste-to-energy facility, but progress is slow, and upcoming projects like a second airport threaten to further strain environmental resources.

Construction of a second international airport and a waste-to-energy plant are underway to support tourism growth, but these developments may increase environmental pressures and flood risks.

Waste management remains a critical issue, with Bali producing over 4,200 tons of waste daily, much of which is improperly disposed of, clogging waterways and worsening flood conditions; plans include closing a major landfill and improving waste practices.

Authorities attribute Bali's severe floods in September 2025 to record rainfall, the highest ever recorded on the island, which was worsened by infrastructure issues and lax land-use enforcement amid rapid tourism development.

The floods and landslides resulted in at least 18 deaths and four missing persons, marking Bali's worst flooding in a decade and highlighting the environmental and infrastructural vulnerabilities caused by overdevelopment.

Climate change is intensifying the frequency of heavy rains, raising concerns about more severe floods unless land use and waste management are addressed effectively.

Efforts are underway to enforce stricter zoning laws, demolish illegal structures, and protect Bali’s rice terraces from further development to mitigate future flood risks.

The human toll of the floods was devastating, with families like Ruth Deidree Boelan’s suffering the loss of loved ones and destruction of homes.