ZCZC
BFF-16
INDONESIA-LANDSLIDE
41 missing after fatal landslides in western Indonesia
JAKARTA, Jan. 1, 2018 (BSS/XINHUA) – A total of 41 villagers were missing
after fatal landslides struck Suka Bumi district in Indonesia’s West Java
province on Monday, a disaster agency official said here on Tuesday.
Personnel from the search and rescue office and disaster agency along with
villagers tried to find and rescue the victims of the natural disaster that
completely buried 34 houses in Sinaresmi village, spokesman of the national
disaster management agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.
“The Rescue team continues search for the victims of the landslides,” he
told Xinhua in a text message.
The rescue operation is in bad need of heavy machinery to remove the soils
burying the houses, Sutopo said.
A total of 61 villagers survived the landslides and are now taking shelter
at an evacuation center, the spokesman said.
On the casualty of the disaster, reports said previously that eight people
were killed in the landslides. However, Sutopo revised down the figure,
saying two were killed.
Heavy downpours were blamed for the natural disaster, Sutopo added.
Indonesia is frequently stricken by landslides and floods during heavy rain
season.
BSS/XINHUA/GMR/0931 hrs