In the early morning hours, heavy rains triggered a landslide on Java, Indonesia’s main island, resulting in the deaths of at least eight individuals and leaving 82 people unaccounted for. Rescuers faced challenging conditions as they navigated through thick mud in search of survivors.
The continuous downpour of rain over several days caused rivers to overflow, leading to a devastating impact on Pasir Langu village in the West Bandung district of West Java province. The landslide brought down mud, rocks, and trees, engulfing around 34 houses in mountainous settlements.
Rescue teams were working tirelessly to locate the 82 missing residents believed to be trapped beneath the debris, while 24 individuals managed to escape the catastrophe, according to Abdul Muhari, a spokesperson for the National Disaster Management Agency.
Tragically, eight bodies were recovered from the severely affected Pasir Kuning hamlet after the landslide struck at 3 a.m., causing destruction to homes and claiming lives.
Footage aired on television showed workers and locals engaged in a frantic search in Pasir Langu, where the once serene roads and rice fields were now covered in thick mud, rocks, and uprooted trees.
“The ongoing heavy rain and unstable ground are hindering the search and rescue efforts,” stated Teten Ali Mungku Engkun, the head of West Java’s Disaster Management Office.
Engkun mentioned that immediate response teams were deployed by local authorities to assess the situation promptly after the disaster occurred.
Families residing within a 100-meter radius of the landslide area were evacuated as a precaution against potential further slope collapses.
Authorities advised individuals living in landslide-prone regions to stay alert and evacuate immediately upon hearing unusual sounds or witnessing any soil movements indicating hazardous conditions.
Indonesia previously experienced calamitous floods and landslides in Sumatra, claiming the lives of over 1,200 people and injuring more than 7,000 individuals, as reported by the National Disaster Management Agency.
The country is prone to seasonal flooding and landslides due to heavy rains and high tides from October to April, especially in its mountainous and flood-prone areas across its vast archipelago of over 17,000 islands, where numerous people reside.
In a similar tragic event last January, over 20 individuals lost their lives in floods and landslides following intense rainfall in Central Java province.