SAR Team Finds One Victim of Landslide in East Manggarai

KUPANG - A joint SAR team has successfully found one victim of a landslide in Goreng Meni Village, Lama Leda District, East Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) which occurred last Friday (23/1).

The commander of the Brimob Unit of the NTT Police, Kombes Afrizal Asri, said the victim was found dead on Monday (26/1) afternoon.

"On the fourth day of the search yesterday, the SAR team, including Brimob, managed to find one victim who was lost due to being buried by landslide material," he said, quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, January 27.

The victim who was found was known as Lusia Resim (54). After being found, he said, the body was handled according to the applicable procedures.

Afrizal said the search was carried out to the maximum despite being faced with difficult terrain conditions and the potential for subsequent landslides.

Previously, 13 Brimob personnel from the NTT Police were deployed to the area to increase the search for the landslide victim.

Head of Public Relations of the NTT Regional Police, Kombes Henry Novika Chandramen, explained that the search activities began since morning with checking the readiness of personnel and equipment, then continued with the gradual search of the landslide location.

"The search was carried out with manual equipment to using heavy equipment excavators to clean the landslide material and the remains of the residents' houses," he said.

The Brimob personnel who were deployed, in addition to helping the search process for the victim, were also tasked with reopening access to the Tuwa Village which was previously closed by landslide material.

In the SAR operation, there were a number of obstacles, such as thick mud, unstable soil conditions, hot weather, and the potential for subsequent landslides. However, all personnel were reported to be in good health and ready to continue their duties.

"The search for one other victim is still ongoing. The SAR team of the NTT Police Brimob is still on standby at the location and will continue the search operation tomorrow," he said.