Landslide aftermath in West Bandung district
A predawn landslide triggered by torrential rains in Indonesia’s West Java province killed at least eight people on Saturday and left 82 others missing, as rescuers struggled through deep mud and debris, the National Disaster Management Agency said.
The disaster struck in West Bandung district, where days of heavy rain had caused rivers to burst their banks and tear through Pasir Langu village. Mud, rocks and trees tumbled down mountainside hamlets, burying some 34 houses in the area, according to the report.
Search and rescue efforts underway
Rescuers were searching for the 82 residents feared buried under heaps of mud and debris, while 24 people managed to escape, spokesperson Abdul Muhari of the agency said. Television footage broadcast the scale of the damage, showing workers and residents digging through thick brown mud after the 3 a.m. landslide swept away homes and people.
In the worst-hit hamlet of Pasir Kuning, some eight bodies were pulled out, according to the report.
Officials warn of further slope failures
Teten Ali Mungku Engkun, who heads West Java’s Disaster Management Office, said: “Unstable soil and heavy rain continue to complicate search and rescue operations.”
He said local authorities rapidly assessed the damage and deployed emergency response teams immediately after the landslide. Families living within 100 meters (yards) of the landslide zone were evacuated due to fears of further slope failures.
Authorities also urged residents in landslide-prone areas to remain vigilant and evacuate immediately if they hear rumbling sounds, see soil movement or believe conditions are unsafe.
Recent history of deadly floods and landslides
The report placed the West Java landslide in a broader pattern of seasonal flooding and landslides across Indonesia. In December, catastrophic floods and a landslide struck Sumatra, Indonesia’s largest island, killing at least 1,200 people and injuring more than 7,000, the National Disaster Management Agency said.
Seasonal rains and high tides from about October to April frequently cause flooding and landslides in Indonesia, where millions of people live in mountainous areas or near fertile flood plains. The report also cited that last January, more than 20 people were killed after being swept away in floods and landslides in Central Java province.