Death toll in Indonesia landslide rises to 17 as dozens remain missing

JAKARTA: The death toll from a massive landslide in Indonesia rose to 17 on Monday as rescue teams continued searching for dozens of missing people days after heavy rains triggered a torrent of mud and debris.

The landslide struck the village of Pasirlangu in West Java’s Bandung region early on Saturday, sweeping through residential areas, damaging dozens of homes and forcing large-scale evacuations.

Officials said at least 73 people remain missing. More than 50 houses were severely damaged, while over 650 residents have been displaced, according to local disaster authorities.

Relatives of the missing gathered near the site, anxiously awaiting news as rescuers worked under difficult conditions. Aep Saepudin, who has been searching for 11 missing family members, including his sister, said hopes of finding survivors were fading.

Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for Indonesia’s national disaster agency, confirmed the updated death toll, while rescue teams continued operations at the foot of Mount Burangrang using both heavy machinery and manual digging.

Rescuers said unstable soil and ongoing rain posed a serious risk of further landslides, slowing efforts. Teams were forced to proceed cautiously to avoid triggering another collapse.

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Authorities and experts have once again pointed to deforestation and land-use changes as key factors worsening such disasters. West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi blamed extensive vegetable plantations around Pasirlangu, saying the area should have remained forested and vowing to relocate residents from high-risk zones.

Indonesia frequently experiences floods and landslides during the rainy season, which runs from October to March. Earlier this month, flash floods on Siau island killed at least 16 people, underscoring the growing human toll of extreme weather events across the archipelago.