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ENPASAR: Extreme weather will continue to linger over Bali until February, with heavy rains and hot spells expected, forecasters say.

Strong winds and heavy rain hit Denpasar on Thursday afternoon destroying houses in the western part of the city.

The Bali branch of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency predicts that uncertain weather conditions would run from November to February, possibly leading to landslides, strong winds and floods in vulnerable areas such as in highlands, river beds, and coastal areas in Bali and West Nusa Tenggara provinces.

Forecaster I Nyoman Nuarta said wind speeds had reached more than 50 kilometers per hour on Thursday afternoon.

“It was quite a strange phenomenon because Denpasar was bright and sunny on Thursday morning, but clouds rolled over the city in the afternoon and we had torrential rains of 50 to 100 millimeters and strong winds,” Nuarta said.

Local fishermen and harbor operators were advised to stay alert during this period, he said. —JP