GIANYAR, DEWATA.NEWS – A main road linking Banjar Jasan in Sebatu Village to Pupuan Village, Tegallalang District, Gianyar Regency, was temporarily shut down early Wednesday (January 14) after a cluster of bamboo collapsed from a roadside slope, fully blocking the roadway.
The incident occurred in the early hours when visibility was limited due to poor lighting conditions. A car traveling along the route was struck by falling bamboo, leaving both the driver and a passenger trapped inside the vehicle.
Tegallalang Police Chief AKP I Ketut Wiwin Wirahadi said the vehicle was being driven by a woman, accompanied by the car’s owner, I Wayan Rida, when they suddenly heard branches breaking moments before the bamboo cluster fell from the adjacent hillside.
“The car doors were pinned by the bamboo, preventing both occupants from getting out. They were trapped inside the vehicle for quite some time,” he said.
According to Rida, the situation caused panic as the car door could only be opened slightly. “I panicked because the door could only open about 10 centimeters. My wife kept calming me down. We tried to stay patient until help arrived,” he said.
A joint response team from the Gianyar Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), and the police was dispatched to the scene. Both occupants were safely evacuated and reported no serious injuries.
Authorities said around 60 percent of the fallen bamboo material has been cleared. The damaged vehicle has been removed, and traffic access along the route has partially reopened.
However, further cleanup is ongoing, as efforts to remove remaining bamboo roots have been hampered by the lack of a nearby water source. Additional coordination between BPBD Gianyar and related agencies is planned.
The Banjar Jasan–Pupuan corridor is known as a disaster-prone area due to unstable soil conditions and steep surrounding cliffs. With other bamboo clusters still present on the slope, police have urged road users to remain cautious.
“We advise motorists to increase vigilance, especially at night or during bad weather, as this area is still considered hazardous,” AKP Wiwin said.