A

powerful windstorm pounded the resort island for two hours late on Saturday night, claiming the lives of two men and inflicting damage amounting to Rp 2 billion (US$220,000).

The casualties were identified as I Wayan Nada, 57, and I Made Sumarna, 60, both residents of Sukawati village. The men had taken shelter from the worsening weather at Bale Gong, an open pavilion in the yard of the village’s Air Jeruk Temple, Gianyar, where the traditional musical ensemble gamelan is usually performed.

But the winds saw the pavilion cave in on the men. They were immediately taken to Dharma Yadnya Hospital in Tohpati, Denpasar, and were later pronounced dead.

The death toll from a series of natural disasters to have plagued Bali since early last week has now risen to 11.

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency’s (BMKG) Bali office reported that the powerful storm started pounding the island at around 11 p.m. At its peak, winds of 88.2 kilometers per hour destroyed trees, billboards and roofs throughout southern Bali.

The Provincial Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) reported that 22 Hindu temples, two senior high schools (SMA 1 Kuta Utara and SMA 2 Mengwi), two hotels and villas, two food stalls, and dozens of houses were damaged.

The strong winds were followed by torrential rain and high tides that damaged an embankment at Canggu Beach. “The windstorm damaged the roof of my house and the ensuing rain destroyed my book collection. The wind was so powerful it blew away all the paintings on my house’s outer wall,” said Intan Paramita Apsari, a resident of Kerobokan, North Kuta.

Bali’s Disaster Response and Management Center head, Jaya Serataberana, said it was estimated that the disaster caused more than Rp 2 billion of losses. ”It is our initial projection,” he said Sunday.

“The strong winds pounded almost all areas in Bali. The worst damage occurred in Badung regency, particularly in North Kuta, Mengwi and Abiansemal,” Jaya added.

Bad weather also forced the harbor authority to suspend ferry services at Gilimanuk Port, which connects Bali to Java, and Padangbai Port, which connects the island with Lombok, due to the high waves and strong currents.

The BMKG official in charge of data and information, I Nyoman Gde Wiryajaya, said that Saturday night’s disasters were triggered by the formation of extremely large cumulonimbus cloud above the island.

“The formation of the cloud was influenced by the transition of weather from rainy to dry season,” Wiryajaya said.

He warned residents to be careful because such clouds could frequently appear until the start of the dry season in April.

The clouds, he said, could trigger various extreme weather phenomenons, including windstorms and sleet.

He also said that tropical cyclone LUA in the Indian Ocean had disappeared. The cyclone had played a role in the island’s recent weather.

”However, there is a new cyclone reported in north Australia and it could influence Bali. We have alerted tourists and fishermen to be very careful in the next few days,” he said.