Indonesia Landslide Death Toll Reaches 17, Dozens Still Missing Nationwide

At least 17 people have died in a landslide in Indonesia’s West Java province, according to officials. The incident occurred on Saturday when heavy rainfall hit the area, causing a slope failure that buried a marine training camp and engulfed houses in Pasirlangu village.

A total of 42 people are reported missing, including 19 members of Indonesia’s elite marine force who were training for an operation on the Indonesia-Papua New Guinea border. The National Disaster Management Agency has confirmed that 17 people have been found dead, with four of them being marines.

Rescue efforts are ongoing, but officials say the ground remains unstable and difficult to access due to heavy machinery struggles and narrow access roads. Search teams are working in challenging conditions, including mud, rocks, and uprooted trees, which can reach up to eight meters deep in some areas.

The local search-and-rescue office has reported that more than 50 houses have been severely damaged by the landslide, displacing over 650 people. Rescuers are also concerned about the risk of subsequent landslides as they continue their operations.

Governor Dedi Mulyadi has blamed the disaster on plantations in the area, which he plans to relocate. The National Search and Rescue Agency is continuing its efforts to locate the missing individuals.

Source: Al Jazeera