At least eight people have been killed and more than 80 others are missing after a landslide struck Indonesia’s Java island, according to the country’s disaster management authorities.
The landslide occurred on Saturday in the West Bandung district of West Java province after days of torrential rain caused rivers to overflow and weaken surrounding soil. The national disaster management agency said eight bodies were recovered from the worst hit hamlet of Pasir Kuning, while more than 30 homes were buried under mud and debris.
Rescue teams are searching for 82 residents who remain missing, while 24 people managed to escape the disaster. Television footage showed residents and emergency workers digging through thick mud, rocks and uprooted trees in nearby villages, where roads and farmland were completely covered.
Teten Ali Mungku Engkun, head of West Java’s disaster management office, said emergency response teams were deployed immediately and families living close to the affected area were evacuated over fears of further landslides. He added that unstable soil conditions and continuing heavy rainfall were making search and rescue efforts difficult.
Authorities have urged residents in landslide prone areas to remain alert and evacuate immediately if they notice soil movement, hear rumbling sounds or feel conditions becoming unsafe.
Indonesia frequently experiences floods and landslides during the rainy season, which typically lasts from October to April. The country, made up of more than 17,000 islands, has seen repeated deadly disasters linked to extreme weather, including floods and landslides that killed more than 1,300 people across South and Southeast Asia late last year.
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