H

igh waves have been hitting southern Bali since Tuesday, leading to the temporary closure of several popular beaches.

Badung lifeguard coordinator Ketut Ipel told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that 5 kilometers of coastline covering Kuta, Legian, Seminyak and Petitenget had been closed to visitors.

Tourists have been prohibited from entering the water, including for swimming and surfing.

Lifeguards have erected red flags along the beach to warn visitors about the safety risks.

“We have closed the beaches for all water activities since Tuesday morning because of bad weather and will reopen the beaches after the weather returns to normal,” Ipel said.

High tidal waves hit the affected beaches on Tuesday night, washing piles of trash and driftwood ashore.

“Visitors are prohibited from surfing because they may be hit by pieces of wood or bamboo. It could be dangerous,” he said.

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has warned marine tourism players and fishermen across the resort island to remain vigilant during the spell of bad weather.

“We should anticipate torrential rain, strong winds and high waves. We forecast potential high waves reaching 2 meters in southern Bali,” BMKG Denpasar Bali chapter head M Taufik Gunawan said.