11 dead, 12 missing after landslide in Central Java
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Rescuers searching for survivors after a landslide hit three villages in Cilacap, Indonesia, on the night of Nov 13.
PHOTO: EPA
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JAKARTA – A landslide after heavy rain in Central Java killed 11 people, Indonesia’s disaster management agency said on Nov 15, adding that rescuers were searching for a dozen who are still missing.
The landslide in the city of Cilacap on Nov 13 buried a dozen houses in Cibeunying village, Antara previously reported the agency as saying, adding that the rescue was challenging as people were buried 3m to 8m deep.
“Eleven people have been found dead, three yesterday and eight more today. Twelve people are still missing,” the agency’s spokesperson Abdul Muhari told Reuters.
The South-east Asian country’s wet season started in September and will last until April, the weather agency says, bringing a higher risk of floods and extreme rainfall.
Another landslide in January triggered by torrential rain in the Central Java city of Pekalongan killed at least 25 people.
The latest incident occurred at around 8pm local time on Nov 13, striking at least 12 houses in Cibeunying village, Majenang district, and burying an estimated 6.5ha of land.
Majenang district head Aji Pramono said rainfall had been continuous in the area since last weekend. “Although the rain was not particularly heavy before the landslide, the accumulated precipitation over several days may have saturated the soil to the point that it could no longer support its own weight,” he said on Nov 14, as quoted by state news agency Antara.
All injured and dead victims have been taken to Majenang Regional General Hospital.
Lieutenant-General Suharyanto, head of the disaster management agency BNPB, said a joint team of around 200 personnel, comprising the local search and rescue agency, the Cilacap Disaster Mitigation Agency, the Indonesian Red Cross, the military, police and local residents, had been working around the clock to search for survivors believed to be buried under the debris.
“We have deployed heavy machinery and water pumps, and we are ensuring that the basic needs of affected residents are met. We hope all missing residents can be found soon,” he said on Nov 14.
BNPB spokesman Abdul Muhari added that rescue efforts were severely hampered by poor weather, unstable ground conditions and limited lighting at night.
Central Java Governor Ahmad Luthfi has expressed his condolences over the landslide and assured the public that his administration is mobilising all necessary resources to locate victims still trapped under the debris.
He added that excavators had been used to widen access to the disaster area, allowing heavy equipment to reach the site more efficiently. Meanwhile, the Central Java Disaster Mitigation Agency continues to monitor weather conditions and is preparing potential weather modification measures to prevent further rainfall.
According to forecasts, light to moderate rain is expected across Majenang district from Nov 14 to 16, raising concerns about possible additional landslides. The Cilacap administration has declared a 20-day state of emergency following the landslide to expedite rescue operations and disaster mitigation efforts.
Officials from Cilacap, in coordination with BNPB, are preparing to relocate around 28 residents living in landslide-prone areas near the disaster site.
“The relocation will begin once emergency response operations are fully completed. The Cilacap district administration has designated a safer site for the relocation,” the BNPB’s Suharyanto said.
In the meantime, all 28 residents have been urged to evacuate to safer locations and to avoid any activities near their homes to reduce the risk of further disasters, Mr Suharyanto added. THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK, REUTERS
