Picking up the pieces: Rescue members search for victims at the site of a landslide following heavy rains in Pasir Langu village, West Bandung regency in Java province. — Reuters
The death toll from a landslide in Java province has risen to 34 with dozens still missing, days after the torrent of debris crashed through a mountain village.
Heavy rain triggered the landslide that barrelled through Pasirlangu on Saturday, severely damaging dozens of homes and displacing hundreds.
As of Tuesday, 34 victims had been identified, national disaster mitigation agency spokesman Abdul Muhari said.
The number of people missing was revised down to 32, but local authorities fear the true figure could be significantly higher.
Rescuers have been scouring the unstable area in Java island’s West Bandung region manually and using heavy equipment, treading carefully for fear of another landslide due to bad weather.
The disaster severely damaged more than 50 houses and displaced over 650 people, according to local authorities. — AFP
