Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB) said Sunday that the landslides caused by heavy rain in western Indonesia killed 11, injured 18, and 14 were reported missing.
BNPB spokesman Raditya Jati noted in a statement that the landslides took place at Cihanjuang Village in West Java, about 150 km (95 miles) southeast of the capital Jakarta.
“The first landslide was triggered by high rainfall and unstable soil conditions,” Raditya added. “The subsequent landslide occurred while officers were still evacuating victims around the first landslide area.”
He also stated that the death toll was preliminary until Sunday morning, pointing out that possible rain and thunderstorms during the day may hamper rescue efforts.
"When search and rescue operation for the victims was underway, suddenly other landslides occurred and buried several rescuers," Head of Emergency Unit of Provincial Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) Budi Budiman told Xinhua.
"This is because the condition of the soils on the scene is unstable," Budiman continued, noting that a total of 14 houses were destroyed by the landslides.
In October, President Joko Widodo warned that heavy rains from the La Nina weather system could trigger flooding and landslides, affecting the nation’s agricultural output.
It was not the first natural disaster the country experienced, as it frequently suffers floods and landslides, particularly during the rainy season from November to March, which often worsened by the cutting down of forests.
On the other hand, a Sriwijaya Air plane lost contact yesterday after taking off from the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, en route to Pontianak in West Kalimantan province, according to local media.
“Sriwijaya Air said in a statement it is still gathering more detailed information regarding the flight before it can make any statement,” Reuters reported.
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