Jakarta, Indonesia, January 25 (ANI) — Search operations have resumed in Indonesia’s West Java province for around 80 people reported missing after a devastating landslide tore through residential areas, following a temporary suspension due to extreme weather, Al Jazeera reported.
Rescue efforts were halted overnight as heavy rain and dangerous conditions made operations unsafe, the mission coordinator said. Authorities confirmed on Sunday that the death toll has risen to 10, with state-run media reporting three additional fatalities.
The landslide, triggered by intense rainfall, struck villages in West Bandung early Saturday, engulfing homes, destroying infrastructure, and forcing dozens of residents to flee. Continuous downpours had earlier forced rescue teams to stop work entirely overnight before resuming searches the following day.
“The heavy rains in the area forced the rescue efforts to halt for the entire night,” mission coordinator Ade Dian Permana said. Operations restarted once conditions slightly improved, Al Jazeera reported.
Rescuers faced major challenges on Saturday as unstable ground and persistent rain prevented the use of heavy machinery, Kompas TV reported, citing officials. Search teams are now relying largely on manual excavation, supported by drones and sniffer dogs, with assistance from the military, police, and local volunteers, according to the national rescue agency.
Flooding was also reported across several parts of West Java, including the capital, Jakarta, prompting evacuations in severely affected neighborhoods. Many residents were forced to move to higher ground or safer locations as water levels rose.
Local resident Dedi Kurniawan, 36, said the disaster was unprecedented in his experience in Pasir Langu village, a hilly area about 100 km southeast of Jakarta. “Sometimes we have only small floods from the nearest river, but this time the landslide came from the forest,” he told reporters.
West Bandung’s mayor warned that rescue operations remain risky, noting that the terrain is extremely difficult and the soil remains unstable. Authorities have urged residents to stay alert as rain continues to lash the region.
Indonesia frequently experiences floods and landslides during the rainy season, which typically lasts from October to March. The latest disaster follows severe monsoon rains and tropical storms late last year that killed around 1,200 people and displaced more than 240,000 on Sumatra island, according to official data.
Environmentalists and experts have repeatedly highlighted deforestation as a major factor worsening floods and landslides. In the aftermath of the Sumatra disaster, the government filed multiple lawsuits seeking over $200 million in damages from six companies.
Earlier this month, torrential rains also hit Indonesia’s Siau Island, triggering a flash flood that claimed at least 16 lives, underscoring the country’s growing vulnerability to extreme weather events.
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