Landslide in Indonesia Kills Seven, Over 80 Missing

Reuters

Site if the landslide on Indonesia’s main island of Java.

At least seven people have been killed and more than 80 remain missing following a landslide on Indonesia’s main island of Java, officials reported on Saturday.

The landslide, triggered by heavy rainfall, struck a village in West Bandung Regency at around 2:30 am, destroying homes and sweeping through the area.

“A landslide occurred in West Bandung Regency, West Java Province, in the early hours of Saturday, killing seven people,” said Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for Indonesia’s national disaster agency (BNPB). “As of 10:30 am, dozens of residents had been accounted for, while 83 people were still being searched for.”

Floods and landslides are common in Indonesia during the rainy season, which typically lasts from October to March. Late last year, tropical storms and heavy monsoon rains caused deadly landslides and floods across South and Southeast Asia, affecting regions from the rainforests of Sumatra to highland plantations in Sri Lanka.

In Sumatra alone, around 1,200 people died and more than 240,000 were displaced, according to BNPB. Environmentalists have cited deforestation and forest loss as significant factors that exacerbate flooding and landslides, sending torrents of mud into villages.

Earlier this week, the Indonesian government revoked over two dozen permits from forestry, mining, and hydroelectric companies in Sumatra in response to the ongoing environmental risks.

This latest landslide comes shortly after torrential rains hit Siau Island earlier this month, causing a flash flood that killed at least 16 people.

Source: AFP




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