A powerful landslide triggered by days of heavy rain has killed at least eight people and left around 82 others unaccounted for after sweeping through rural parts of West Bandung in Indonesia’s West Java province early Saturday.
Gatekeepers News reports that rescue teams from National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS), regional disaster agencies, military, police, and volunteers are still digging through deep mud to find those still missing, but efforts have been slowed by unfavourable weather and unstable ground conditions.
The landslide struck Pasirlangu and nearby settlements on the slopes of Mount Burangrang around 2:30 a.m., burying homes under mud, rocks, and debris after sustained rainfall caused rivers to overflow and the hillside to collapse.
Officials say that about 113 residents were affected, with 23 people rescued and treated, while dozens remain missing.
Indonesia’s weather agency had issued warnings of intense rainfall across West Java and surrounding regions this week, making search operations even more difficult as crews contend with heavy rain and difficult terrain.
Natural disasters such as landslides and flooding are frequent during the country’s rainy season from October to March, and this event follows a series of deadly weather-related disasters in recent months, including a catastrophic landslide and floods in Sumatra last year that killed more than 1,200 people across several provinces.
Emergency teams continue to prioritise search-and-rescue operations as communities and authorities work to assess the full impact of the disaster.
