At least seven people have been killed and 82 others are missing after a powerful landslide struck the West Bandung region of Indonesia’s West Java province, authorities said on Saturday.
Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency said search and rescue teams are racing against time as fears grow that the death toll could rise. “The number of missing persons is high, and we will optimise our search and rescue efforts today,” agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said.
According to local media reports, the landslide hit Pasirlangu village at around 2am local time, when a surge of water, mud and soil cascaded down the slopes of Mount Burangrang, slamming into around 30 homes as residents slept.
Heavy rainfall in recent days is believed to have triggered the collapse. Officials said the process of confirming casualties and injuries is ongoing, while concerns persist over further landslides.
Local authorities have ordered the evacuation of residents in landslide-prone areas, with the affected zone estimated to span 30 hectares.
Indonesia’s weather agency had issued warnings of extreme weather and sustained heavy rain across West Java over the past week. Flooding has also hit large parts of the province, including Karawang regency, where rivers burst their banks, forcing residents to flee.
The disaster comes just weeks after devastating floods and landslides killed more than 1,170 people across several Indonesian provinces.
The government has since filed lawsuits against multiple companies over alleged environmental damage believed to have worsened the impact of recent disasters.
Experts warn Indonesia is increasingly vulnerable to natural disasters due to deforestation, environmental degradation and climate change, compounded by rising sea levels and extreme weather patterns.
