Bali landslide at Pelaga Eco Park: two guests missing as search continues

In brief: A landslide struck Pelaga Eco Park, a hillside accommodation complex in northern Badung Regency, late on November 1, 2026. Authorities reported 21 guests safe and two missing; rescue teams had not located the missing visitors by November 6.

The resort's riverside setting became the path of the debris

The incident occurred in Pelaga village, Petang district, after heavy rain during the afternoon and evening. Bali's Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) reported rainfall of 121 millimetres over a day in the area. At approximately 11 p.m. Bali time, material from the slope reached accommodation close to the river; further ground movement was reported shortly afterwards.

Of the 25 glamping accommodation units on the roughly four-hectare property, four were damaged, according to BPBD. One was reportedly swept away. There were 23 guests staying at the site, 21 of whom escaped. Two people, subsequently identified by rescuers as an Indonesian national and a German national, remained unaccounted for.

The figures describe one property in a steep valley. They should not be extrapolated to other accommodation across Badung or Bali without examining those sites individually.

Steep access roads have complicated the search

Rescue operations began on November 2 with Basarnas personnel working alongside local disaster-response teams, police and volunteers. They checked the collapsed accommodation area as well as sections of the river and the area around a nearby dam. Search teams subsequently extended the river sweep over several kilometres as they assessed where the debris might have travelled.

The latest operational update reported here is for Friday, November 6, when both visitors were still missing. Search officials described thick mud, changeable weather and terrain that prevented an excavator from reaching the affected buildings. Clearing work consequently relied heavily on manual tools, while other personnel searched along the watercourse. Reports published on November 7 referred back to the November 6 operation; they did not establish a later outcome.

The difficult access has implications beyond the search itself. On remote riverside plots, a narrow approach road can also constrain the speed and type of emergency response after heavy rainfall.

Local authorities are examining permits and site conditions

Badung officials have also opened a review of the resort's business and building records. Initial registration details dating to 2018 referred to agritourism and a restaurant, while subsequent official statements referred to registration for glamping activity. The documentation was still being checked when the reports were published. No final finding of an unlawful operation is established by those reports.

Officials said preliminary checks had not identified a land-use violation, but stressed that the valley and riverbank location exposed the property to substantial hazards during intense rain. The permit review and the safety assessment address different issues. Business registration cannot establish how a slope, drainage system or evacuation route will perform in extreme rain.

For a longer rental in the hills of northern Badung, the immediate terrain needs to be assessed alongside the accommodation. The route of runoff, a way to reach higher ground without crossing a stream, emergency-vehicle access and responsibility for evacuation decisions all affect how a secluded house can be used during heavy rain. Small accommodation sites near steep banks need those questions answered for their own location. The Pelaga incident does not provide a general safety assessment of Bali’s housing stock.