PICS: Indonesia landslide kills 2, leaves 21 missing

A landslide killed two people and left at least 21 others missing in Indonesia, a disaster official said on Friday.

The landslide hit three villages in the district of Cilacap, Central Java, on Thursday night, burying and damaging houses.

“As of Friday morning, the joint team has rescued 23 people alive. Two people were found deceased, and 21 others are still being searched for,” Abdul Muhari, spokesman of the national disaster agency, said in a statement Friday.

A search and rescue operation was underway to look for the missing victims, Muhari said.

He added that unstable terrain had hindered rescue efforts and that heavy equipment had been deployed to assist the operation.

An extreme weather warning was issued earlier this week by the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency.

The agency warned it could cause hydrometeorological disasters and that several regions of Indonesia could experience high rainfall over the coming weeks.

The annual monsoon season in Indonesia, typically between November and April, often brings landslides, flash floods, and water-borne diseases.

Climate change has affected storm patterns, including the length and severity of the season, leading to heavier rain, flash flooding, and stronger wind gusts.

Earlier in November, flash floods and landslides in a remote area of the restive region, Papua, killed at least 15 people and left eight more missing.

AFP