A landslide triggered by heavy rains in Indonesia’s Java island claimed the lives of at least eight individuals and left 82 missing. The disaster occurred in Pasir Langu village, West Bandung district, after rivers overflowed due to days of incessant rainfall. Mud, rocks, and trees cascaded down the mountainside, engulfing around 34 houses.
Rescuers are facing challenges in locating survivors buried under the debris, with 24 people managing to escape the catastrophe. Eight bodies have been recovered from the worst-hit area, Pasir Kuning, where homes and residents were swept away by the landslide at 3 a.m.
Efforts to search for the missing individuals are hampered by unstable ground conditions and ongoing heavy rainfall, as mentioned by Teten Ali Mungku Engkun, the head of West Java’s Disaster Management Office. Emergency response teams were swiftly deployed to assess the damage and assist in the rescue operations.
Families residing near the landslide area have been evacuated as a precaution against potential further slope failures. Authorities have advised residents in landslide-prone areas to stay alert and evacuate promptly upon noticing signs of imminent danger.
Indonesia frequently experiences flooding and landslides during the rainy season from October to April. In December, Sumatra, Indonesia’s largest island, was struck by catastrophic floods and landslides, resulting in over 1,200 fatalities and more than 7,000 injuries. The country, consisting of over 17,000 islands, is susceptible to such natural disasters due to its mountainous terrain and proximity to flood-prone regions.
Tragically, in Central Java province last January, over 20 individuals lost their lives in floods and landslides following heavy rains.