Bali sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, so earthquakes are a normal part of life here, not a rare event. Most are mild tremors nobody notices, but the region has had larger earthquakes too, including the ones that shook nearby Lombok in 2018 and were felt clearly across Bali. The island also has two active volcanoes, Mount Agung and Mount Batur, and a tsunami is possible if a major offshore earthquake happens along the Indian Ocean fault lines to the south. None of this should stop a family from moving here, but it does mean preparedness is worth treating as a normal part of settling in, the same way you'd plan for Bali's rainy season.
Start with your own house or villa: find out where the gas shutoff is, make sure tall furniture, shelves and water heaters are secured to the wall, and agree on a meeting point outside in case you're separated when something happens. Teach kids the basic earthquake response: drop to the floor, get under something sturdy or against an interior wall, and cover your head until the shaking stops, then move outside away from walls and power lines. If you live near the coast, know the route to higher ground in advance, since a tsunami warning after a strong earthquake can leave very little time to react. Save the emergency numbers and hotlines every expat family should know in your phone now, and keep a printed copy somewhere the whole family can find it if phones are down.
Keep a simple grab bag ready: bottled water, a first aid kit, torches, copies of passports and visas, any regular medication, and a bit of cash, since card machines and ATMs can go down in a bigger event. Check that your travel or health insurance actually covers natural disasters and volcanic disruption, because Mount Agung has closed the airport before and can again with little warning. Build a small emergency fund into what you should budget when relocating to Bali, kept separate from everyday costs, so a sudden flight change or a few unplanned nights elsewhere doesn't catch you short.
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