Landslides and flash floods on Indonesia’s Java island leave 17 people dead and eight others missing

Floods and landslides on Indonesia's Java Island have resulted in at least 17 fatalities, with another 8 people missing. Rescue teams are making every effort to search for the missing and are also conducting cleanup and providing aid to the affected areas.

Heavy rainfall on Monday in Pekalongan Regency, Central Java, caused rivers to burst their banks, sending floodwaters carrying mud, rocks, and trees into nine villages, severely impacting hillside communities. Bergas Catur Sasongko, head of the local disaster management agency, stated that as of Tuesday, rescuers had found at least 17 bodies in Petungkriyono village, the worst-hit area, and are searching for 8 missing villagers. Another 11 injured individuals were able to escape and were taken to nearby hospitals.

Television footage shows police, soldiers, and rescue workers using excavators, farm equipment, and their bare hands to search through the devastated villages. Some people were seen transporting the deceased to ambulances or trucks using bamboo stretchers or body bags. "The harsh weather, mudslides, and rugged terrain are hindering rescue efforts," Sasongko said, adding that some people who were fishing or seeking shelter by the river were swept away by the floods.

Budiono, head of the provincial search and rescue office, said that search operations were suspended on Tuesday afternoon due to heavy rain and fog and will resume early Wednesday. Abdul Muhari, a spokesperson for the National Disaster Management Agency, stated that the floods swept away villagers and passing vehicles, and triggered landslides that buried two houses. The floods also destroyed two major bridges in Pekalongan Regency that connected villages.

Additionally, on Monday, in Denpasar, Bali, a popular tourist destination, a landslide struck five houses, resulting in four deaths, one missing person, and three injuries. Muhari also stated that many other provinces have reported flood disasters. Indonesia, an archipelago of 17,000 islands, frequently experiences floods and landslides during the rainy season from October to March, with millions of residents living in mountainous regions or near fertile alluvial plains. Last month, the Sukabumi region of West Java also suffered from landslides, flash floods, and strong winds, resulting in 12 deaths. In November, heavy rains triggered landslides and flash floods in North Sumatra, killing 20 people and leaving 2 missing, and a landslide in the area also struck a tourist bus, causing 9 fatalities.