A bulk delete operation with reduced latency allows for retrieval of deleted data. Each database object holds a Delete SCN indicating when a bulk delete operation was last performed. Each row in the database object holds a Row Modification SCN indicating when the row was last updated. A bulk delete is performed by writing the old value of the Delete SCN to the undo tablespace and updating the Delete SCN. No undo information is stored for the rows. A write is performed by finding a deleted row, storing undo information for the deleted row and writing over the deleted row. To read from the database object, a rollback operation is performed, if necessary. Those rows are then retrieved for which the Row Modification SCN is higher than the Delete SCN and is less than or equal to the timestamp for the requested data.