ALBAWABA- Rescue operations in Indonesia’s West Java province were slowed on Wednesday by persistent heavy rain as the death toll from a devastating landslide climbed to 34, with 32 people still missing, authorities said.
The landslide struck early Saturday in Pasir Langu village, a hilly area in the Cisarua district of Bandung Barat regency, about 100 kilometers southeast of Jakarta.
Triggered by intense rainfall that began a day earlier, the collapse buried homes and swept residents downhill, compounding risks in a region already vulnerable during the monsoon season.
Among the victims were 23 Indonesian Navy marines from an elite unit who were conducting training in the area at the time of the disaster. Officials said 23 people survived, while forensic teams continued efforts to identify recovered bodies. Nearly 700 villagers were evacuated to government buildings and other temporary shelters as a precaution.
Search and recovery operations involved more than 800 personnel, including rescue teams, military units, police, and volunteers, supported by nine excavators.
However, rain on Wednesday morning forced temporary suspensions, and weather forecasts warning of further moderate to heavy downpours raised concerns about additional ground movement in the rugged terrain. Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency urged caution as teams prepared to resume work once conditions improved.
Indonesia, an archipelago prone to earthquakes, floods, and landslides, frequently experiences such disasters during periods of prolonged rainfall. Environmental factors such as deforestation and land-use changes have further increased risks in the mountainous areas of West Java.
