Indonesia landslide death toll climbs to 49, dozens still missing
The death toll from a landslide that struck Indonesia’s West Java province last week has risen to 49, with at least 15 people still unaccounted for, the country’s main rescue agency said on Saturday.
The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) said search and recovery operations are continuing in Pasir Langu village, located in West Bandung regency, after heavy rainfall triggered the January 24 landslide, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Authorities extended the emergency response period by seven days, until February 6, as rescuers continue to search through unstable terrain and debris.
The disaster followed a series of extreme weather events across Indonesia. Late last year, cyclone-driven floods and landslides on the island of Sumatra killed around 1,200 people and displaced more than one million residents, highlighting the country’s growing vulnerability to climate-related disasters.
Separately, Indonesia’s navy said earlier this week that 23 soldiers were killed during border patrol training, though the incident was not directly linked to the West Java landslide.
The response effort comes amid budget pressures. Basarnas recently faced funding cuts approved by a parliamentary panel, despite repeated warnings from officials about the increasing frequency and scale of natural disasters across the archipelago.
Indonesia, which sits along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is highly prone to landslides, earthquakes and floods, particularly during the rainy season when prolonged downpours destabilise soil in mountainous regions.
By Aysel Mammadzada
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