Indonesia: 11 Killed, Dozens Missing in Landslide

On Monday, a landslide caused by torrential rain killed at least 11 people and left dozens of others missing on an island in Indonesia’s remote Natuna regency, according to disaster officials.

Tons of mud from the surrounding hills fell on houses in the Serasan village of Natuna.

Abdul Mahari, the spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, said rescuers had recovered at least 11 bodies and authorities feared the death toll could rise.

“Many people who need help have not been reached because we still have difficulty accessing the affected areas,” Mahari said, adding that authorities estimated around 50 people were still missing.

Junainah, who heads emergency relief operations in the local disaster agency, reported that dozens of soldiers, police and volunteers were involved in the search in the village, on a remote island surrounded by choppy waters and high waves in the Natuna Group at the edge of the South China Sea.

He added that broken communication lines and bad weather were hampering rescue efforts.

Monsoon heavy rains cause frequent landslides and floods in Indonesia, a chain of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous regions or in fertile floodplains.