The death toll from a major landslide in Indonesia has risen to 74, authorities said Friday. Rescuers continue to search for missing persons. TASR writes about it according to an AFP report. Heavy rain caused a landslide that hit the mountain village of Pasirlang in West Java province on January 24. The mud overwhelmed dozens of houses and hundreds of people had to leave their homes.
Thousands of rescuers, with the help of the police, the army and volunteers, searched the mud and debris manually or with heavy equipment. The local search and rescue agency said they had identified around 74 victims. “There are still many residents on the missing persons list who have not yet been found,” said the head of the office. “Weather conditions continue to be a major concern as there is still heavy fog and rain in the search area, greatly affecting visibility and safety,” the official said.
The Indonesian navy said 23 military personnel who were undergoing training there were among those affected by the landslide in the village. The government pointed to the impact of forest loss on the intensity of floods and landslides on the neighboring island of Sumatra late last year, which killed around 1,200 people. More than 240,000 others were left homeless.
Forests help absorb rainfall and stabilize the soil with their roots. Their absence increases the susceptibility of areas to landslides. Such disasters are common in the vast Indonesian archipelago during the rainy season, which usually runs from October to March.
