World News
Indonesia landslide kills 11, nearly 80 missing as rescuers battle mud and unstable terrain
Rescue teams in Indonesia continued an intense search on Sunday for nearly 80 missing people after a rain-triggered landslide buried homes and killed at least 11 residents on Java island, as unstable terrain and heavy mud hampered operations.
Rescue teams in Indonesia continued an intense search on Sunday for nearly 80 missing people after a rain-triggered landslide buried homes and killed at least 11 residents on Java island, as unstable terrain and heavy mud hampered operations.
The landslide struck before dawn on Saturday, roaring down the slopes of Mount Burangrang in West Java province and engulfing around 34 houses in Pasir Langu village. Officials said 79 people remain unaccounted for, with many feared trapped under thick layers of mud, rocks and uprooted trees.
Authorities have evacuated about 230 residents to temporary government shelters.
Two more bodies were recovered on Sunday morning, raising the death toll to 11, said Ade Dian Permana of the local search and rescue office.
Footage released by Indonesia’s national search and rescue agency, Basarnas, showed rescuers digging through sludge using farm tools and even their bare hands to retrieve victims. Heavy machinery and excavators have largely been unable to operate because the ground remains too soft and unstable.
“If the slope does not stabilise, crews are prepared to continue manually,” Permana said, adding that the mud piles were as high as five metres (16 feet). “Some homes are buried up to the roof level.”
During a visit to the disaster-hit area, Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka assured residents that steps would be taken to prevent similar tragedies and urged local authorities to curb land conversion in disaster-prone zones.
Basarnas chief Mohammad Syafii said poor weather and shifting soil continue to complicate rescue efforts.
“We are at the mercy of the weather. The mud is still flowing and unstable,” he said. “We will deploy every asset available — drones, K-9 teams and ground units — but safety comes first.”
Indonesia frequently experiences floods and landslides during the monsoon season between October and April. The country, made up of more than 17,000 islands, has millions of people living in mountainous or flood-prone areas, making it highly vulnerable to such disasters.
