Indonesian authorities have resumed their search for dozens of missing people in the aftermath of a deadly landslide that buried several residential areas in West Java province. The operation was suspended overnight due to harsh weather conditions but has now resumed, with rescue teams using drones and canine units to scour the area.
The death toll from Saturday's landslide rose to 10 on Sunday, according to state-run media, with three more fatalities reported. Over 80 people are still unaccounted for, with many more forced to evacuate their homes due to the disaster.
The landslide occurred in a hilly area of West Java, about 100 kilometers southeast of the capital Jakarta, and was triggered by heavy rain. The terrain proved unstable, making it difficult for rescue teams to deploy heavy machinery.
Resident Dedi Kurniawan described the scene as "apocalyptic," saying that the landslide came from the forest and caught residents off guard. He also noted that floods are common in West Java during the rainy season, which typically runs from October to March.
The disaster comes amid concerns over environmental degradation, with many experts pointing to the role of forest loss in triggering flooding and landslides. The government has filed multiple lawsuits seeking damages against firms responsible for deforestation.
In recent weeks, Indonesia has faced a series of natural disasters, including torrential rains that battered Siau island and killed at least 16 people. The floods have displaced thousands more, highlighting the ongoing impact of climate change in the region.
Rescue efforts are being hampered by unstable terrain and heavy rain, but authorities remain committed to finding all those still missing.
The death toll from Saturday's landslide rose to 10 on Sunday, according to state-run media, with three more fatalities reported. Over 80 people are still unaccounted for, with many more forced to evacuate their homes due to the disaster.
The landslide occurred in a hilly area of West Java, about 100 kilometers southeast of the capital Jakarta, and was triggered by heavy rain. The terrain proved unstable, making it difficult for rescue teams to deploy heavy machinery.
Resident Dedi Kurniawan described the scene as "apocalyptic," saying that the landslide came from the forest and caught residents off guard. He also noted that floods are common in West Java during the rainy season, which typically runs from October to March.
The disaster comes amid concerns over environmental degradation, with many experts pointing to the role of forest loss in triggering flooding and landslides. The government has filed multiple lawsuits seeking damages against firms responsible for deforestation.
In recent weeks, Indonesia has faced a series of natural disasters, including torrential rains that battered Siau island and killed at least 16 people. The floods have displaced thousands more, highlighting the ongoing impact of climate change in the region.
Rescue efforts are being hampered by unstable terrain and heavy rain, but authorities remain committed to finding all those still missing.
Still super worried about these landslide situations, I mean we know it's Indonesia and they're already dealing with a lot of issues, but come on! 100kms away from Jakarta? That's just crazy. And the fact that floods are super common in West Java during the rainy season makes you wonder if there could've been some warning signs... 
The fact that drones and canine units are being used is actually kinda cool tho!
can you imagine waking up to find your neighborhood has been buried under a mountain of mud? i'm thinking about all the ppl who lost their homes & livelihoods because of this landslide... it's just devastating 
and these environmental degradation warnings we keep hearing are starting to make sense now, isn't it? 
anyway, i hope those still missing get found soon & get the help they need 
this is just too much for indonesia... they're always hit by these natural disasters & it's like the government doesn't do enough to prevent them... 
& can we talk about how crazy it is that deforestation is a major issue here? like, can't we learn from other countries' mistakes? 
so sad about the landslide in West Java, it's like they're just living on top of a ticking time bomb over there 
can't believe how fast 80+ people went missing and now it's getting really grim... gotta be super tough on those affected by this disaster 
. And on top of that, the terrain in West Java is already unstable due to previous landslides... it's like a perfect storm! 
Drones and dogs are awesome tools for rescue ops, but what's the deal with the gov't filing lawsuits over deforestation? Can't they just focus on fixing the root cause of these disasters instead of trying to collect damages from companies? 
And the environment, man... it's like we're not learning from our mistakes. Deforestation is no joke, and now we're paying the price with all these natural disasters happening. It's just so... apocalyptic 
. And what really gets me is that it's always the poor people who suffer the most in these disasters. Can't we do something about this? 
I guess we'll just have to keep waiting for the government to take action, which will probably come after all the damages have been assessed and the lawsuits have been settled 
. Anyway, I hope they find those missing people soon... it's just not right that they're still unaccounted for 
.
it's not like these disasters are random they're happening because of our actions (or lack thereof) and it's time for us to take responsibility 
. And what's up with all these lawsuits against firms for deforestation? Don't get me wrong, environmental degradation is a big issue, but can't we just take responsibility and fix it ourselves instead of relying on the courts to sort it out? 
. But seriously, 80+ people still missing? Can't we just get some decent weather for once?! 