Two tourists die after tree comes crashing down in Monkey Forest in Ubud, Bali
Two tourists have died after an old tree fell at a popular tourist destination in Bali.
The tree toppled over about midday on Tuesday local time in Ubud’s Monkey Forest as visitors explored the sacred jungle site. Tourists flock to the destination, about a two hour drive from Kuta, often longer in traffic, to experience being up close to the cheeky monkeys.
Dramatic videos posted to social media and captured on CCTV show the huge tree abruptly crashing down as tourists run to escape injury.
Several people were injured when the tree came down, with reports the cracking of branches alerted many nearby to try and get out of harms way.
Two tourists, a 32-year-old from France and a 42-year-old from South Korea, died when they were struck, according to the Bali Post.
Head of Gianyar BPBD Emergency and Logistics Division, I Gusti Ngurah Dibya Presasta, told Bali Tribun he had received reports that a number of visitors were injured and the area had been evacuated.
“[There’s] Information that a number of people were injured. Earlier we had communicated with the PMI ambulance to go to the Ubud Monkey Forest location,” he told Tribun.
Visitors at the park helped emergency services rescue the injured before they were taken to hospital.
Heavy rains and strong winds during the past week have caused disastrous events across the regions in Bali and are being blamed for the freak incident.
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