Indonesia landslide death toll rises to 22 as search paused

PEKALONGAN: The death toll from a landslide on Indonesia’s main island of Java rose to 22 with four people still missing on Thursday, officials said, as rescuers raced against time and bad weather to find survivors.

Intense rainfall on Monday in a mountainous area near Pekalongan city in Central Java province sparked the landslide, collapsing bridges and burying cars and houses.

“The victims who were found dead are now 22. Four people are still being searched for,” Budiono, head of the search and rescue agency from nearby city Semarang, told AFP. Like many Indonesians, he goes by one name.

The rescuers started to clean the thick mud and debris from the roads, Budiono said, but the search was paused on Thursday evening due to bad weather and the potential for further landslides.

Indonesia resumes search for 13 missing after deadly landslide in Central Java

“If it rains, we immediately stop because it can endanger the rescue team on the ground,” Budiono said, adding it would resume Friday.

Heavy equipment had earlier been deployed to the worst-hit Kasimpar village to search through the remains of the house of a local official as well as a cafe where more victims are thought to have been buried as they sought shelter from the rain.

“We are focusing on those two spots and the nearby river. Victims might have been carried to the river because of the current,” Budiono said earlier Thursday.

At least 13 people were also injured in the landslide, according to search and rescue agency Basarnas.

Indonesia is prone to landslides during the rainy season, typically between November and April, but some disasters caused by adverse weather have taken place outside that season in recent years.

Climate change has also increased the intensity of storms, leading to heavier rains, flash floods and stronger gusts.

In May, at least 67 people died after heavy rains caused flash floods in West Sumatra, pushing a mixture of ash, sand, and pebbles from the eruption of Mount Marapi into residential areas.