NEED TO KNOW
- A landslide hit the village of Pasirlangu in Indonesia’s West Bandung district early morning on Saturday, Jan. 24
- According to local reports, at least nine people have died and over 80 others remain missing following the landslide
- “The number of missing persons is high; we will try to optimize our search and rescue efforts,” said SAR spokesperson Abdul Muhari
At least nine people are dead and over 80 others are missing after a landslide in Indonesia.
At around 2:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, Jan. 24, a landslide caused by heavy rain swept through Pasirlangu Village, Cisarua, in the West Bandung district of West Java province, Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) said in a translated post on Facebook.
Ade Dian Permana, head of the Bandung SAR Office, said an advanced team was immediately deployed to search for victims.
As of 2 p.m. local time, it was confirmed that nine people are dead, 81 others are missing, while 23 people have been found safe, according to the Indonesian outlet Pos Kota.
BASARNAS via AP
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Around 34 homes were buried in the disaster, ABC News reported. Pasir Kuning is believed to be the worst area hit by the landslide.
“The number of missing persons is high; we will try to optimize our search and rescue efforts today,” SAR spokesperson Abdul Muhari told ABC News. Those who died and remain missing have not yet been identified.
“The victims’ status is currently being collected, and we are coordinating with various parties to obtain valid data based on resident reports and conditions on the ground,” BASARNAS said in their translated Facebook post.
Timur Matahari / AFP via Getty
The disaster comes after Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) issued several national warnings of heavy rain and floods in recent days.
“In response to the disaster, the BNPB urges the public and local governments to maintain preparedness and vigilance,” the BNPB said in a statement.
The organization added that they will be “strengthening coordination” with local ministries, regional governments and police “to ensure that disaster management is carried out effectively, measurably, and sustainably.”
PEOPLE has reached out to Indonesia’s National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure and SAR for comment.
