When the rain refuses to leave, what follows is not always limited to colder nights or comfort of a cup of a coffee that taste better. Other consequences tend to arrive as well—less welcome, harder to ignore. Floods. Over the past few days, heavy rain has led to just another flash floods.
Below is a brief look at what happened while the rain refused to take a break over the past several days.
Flooding in Kuta Mandalika
Flooding in Kuta Mandalika is a relatively recent occurrence. Until recently, reports of flooding in Kuta Lombok were rare. Over the past three months, however, such reports have appeared two or three times.
According to data compiled by Tribun Lombok, seven hamlets in Kuta Village were affected by overflowing water. In Dusun Kuta, 25 households were inundated. In Merendeng and Mengalung, 20 households were affected in each area. Baturiti recorded 15 affected households, while Rangkap II and Mong II each reported eight. One household was affected in Rangkap.
Heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds swept across the Mandalika Special Economic Zone on Tuesday afternoon, January 20, 2026, at approximately 5:00 p.m. local time. The conditions triggered river overflows and clogged drainage systems, resulting in flooding across residential areas and several main roads in Kuta Village, Pujut District.
A broader look shows that flooding was not confined to Kuta alone. In the early hours of Wednesday, January 21, 2026—beginning at around 2:30 a.m.—intense rainfall across Central Lombok Regency caused flooding in five villages spanning three districts.
Sadimin, head of the West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), stated that the affected districts included Praya Barat Daya, Praya Barat, and Pujut. In Praya Barat Daya, flooding inundated Kabul Village and Pandan Indah Village. In Praya Barat, Bonder Village and Selong Belanak were affected. Similar conditions were reported in Kuta Village, within Pujut District.
Through official channels, BPBD urged residents across the province to remain alert to extreme weather conditions. The agency warned that such conditions could trigger hydrometeorological disasters, including strong winds, flooding, and landslides, which may occur suddenly.
Infrastructure Damage
When the water that cannot find room to flow freely, you know, it tends to create other problems. More reports followed.
In Tanak Rarang Village, Praya Barat District, three connecting bridges were damaged after heavy rainfall persisted from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning. The damage cut off transportation entirely; neither motorcycles nor cars were able to pass.
Local officials noted that one of the bridges had deteriorated with age and was no longer able to withstand the volume of water. Another bridge, which had previously undergone repairs, was eroded by strong river currents. The damaged structures serve as vital access points for local residents, supporting daily travel related to education, economic activity, and healthcare.
Earlier reporting indicated that the rain is expected to continue into February. Rainfall itself is not unusual—anywhere in the world, rain falls. The question, as it often is, lies in whether drainage systems are prepared to carry the water away, and whether rivers are able to channel it smoothly toward the sea.
For now, broader discussions about what those rivers carry with them—beyond water—remain for another time.
Floods Floods Floods
So here’s the picture, several regencies and cities across West Nusa Tenggara experienced flooding and strong winds as extreme weather conditions settled over the province from Tuesday, January 20, through the early hours of Thursday, January 22.
Data from the BPBD NTB Emergency Operations Center recorded impacts across West Lombok, North Lombok, Central Lombok, West Sumbawa, and Mataram City. Flooding in Central and West Lombok and in Mataram, along with strong winds affecting North Lombok, prompted advisories urging caution, particularly for travelers moving through the region.
A day earlier, a social-media post from a foreign visitor described arriving in Lombok in search of sunlight, only to encounter rain and flooding instead. Irony, it seems.
Once again, BPBD reminded the public that West Nusa Tenggara has entered the rainy season, with some areas approaching its peak. Residents were advised to remain vigilant against extreme weather that could lead to sudden flooding, strong winds, or landslides.
What remains is a pattern that now feels familiar. The recent flooding appears not as a single event, but as something that happens again and again. At the end of the day, this feels wrong.
