Two women have died and another is being treated in hospital after a huge tree branch snapped and fell on a group of travellers at popular Bali tourist hotspot on Tuesday.
The tree reportedly fell on the unsuspecting group at the Monkey Forest in Ubud, in the island’s centre, at about 12pm local time (3pm AEDT).
The sanctuary is a major tourist attraction on the island, popular among visitors — including Australians — who flock to the area to get close to the park’s 600 macaques.
CCTV captured over a dozen travellers, including children and families, fleeing the area as the tree came crashing down. Source: pawangnya_info
Freak accident in Bali captured on nearby CCTV
Multiple videos uploaded to social media show the moment the large branch split and fell, with deep cracking noises heard just seconds before the towering structure toppled.
People can be heard screaming “what the f**k” and “help” in the footage, with over a dozen travellers at the park at the time seen scrambling to safety as the tree collapsed.
A family with a pram is seen among those fleeing in one video. In another a child leaps out from behind the fallen tree.
Local media reports suggest there had been heavy rain and intense wind in the area in recent days, potentially weakening the tree.
The Head of Gianyar BPBD Emergency and Logistics Division told Bali Tribun he had received reports that a number of visitors were injured and the area had been evacuated.
“[There was] information a number of people were injured,” he said.
It’s understood the two women, one from France, reportedly aged 32, and another from South Korea, 42, died in hospital.
A second South Korean woman, aged 43, remains under care at the Kenak Medika Hospital.
It’s not yet been confirmed how many people were injured altogether. The extent of the third woman’s injuries also remains unclear.
Ubud Police Chief Commissioner Gusti Nyoman Sudarsana said officers were investigating and working with the South Korean and French consulates to notify families of victims.
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