Jakarta [Indonesia], January 25: Rescue teams are searching for survivors after a landslide in the West Bandung region of Indonesia's West Java province left at least seven people dead and dozens missing, local officials have said.
"The number of missing persons is high, we will try to optimise our search and rescue efforts today," l Muhari, the spokesperson for Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency, said on Saturday.
Indonesian news outlet Kompas said a landslide hit Pasirlangu village in West Bandung at about 2am local time on Saturday morning (19:00 GMT on Friday).
"A strong flow" of water and loose soil from the slopes of Mount Burangrang smashed into some 30 homes in the village while most of their inhabitants were sleeping, Kompas said. Local Police Chief AY Yogaswara said the landslide was accompanied by flash flooding, according to Jakarta-based Antara news agency.
"When the incident occurred, residents heard a loud rumbling sound," Yogaswara said.
Indonesia's armed forces, the regional disaster management agency, volunteers, and the local community are all involved in emergency response efforts, he said.
Fearing further tragedy, local authorities have ordered the evacuation of residents in areas which are known to be prone to landslides. The area affected by the landslide on Saturday is estimated to cover some 30 hectares (74 acres), Kompas reports.
Indonesia's weather agency had warned of extreme weather, including heavy rains in West Java province for a week from Friday, according to reports.
Antara also reported that flooding hit 20 of the 30 sub-districts of West Java's Karawang regency, due to the Citarum and Cibeet rivers overflowing. Regional government officials had advised residents living near the rivers to evacuate immediately, according to Antara.
Hundreds of people have also fled flooding in East Jakarta amid heavy rains across much of the archipelago nation, according to Antara.
Saturday's disaster follows deadly landslides and flooding last month that left more than 1,170 people dead across Indonesia's North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh provinces.
The Indonesian government has filed lawsuits against six companies over environmental degradation suspected of contributing to the deadly disaster.
Indonesia is facing increased risks of natural disasters due to environmental changes, including deforestation - often linked to global palm oil demand - climate change and rising sea levels.
Source: Qatar Tribune
