SAR Team Finds Body Of Cipongkor West Bandung Landslide Victim In Citarum River

The SAR team evacuated victims buried by landslide material in Gintung Village, Cicendo Village, Cipongkor District, West Bandung Regency, West Java, Wednesday (27/3/2024). (ANTARA/Rubby Jovan)

The joint Search and Rescue Team (SAR) managed to find another body of a victim buried by landslide material in Cibenda Village, Cipongkor District, West Bandung Regency, West Java.

Head of the Operations and Alert Section at the Bandung SAR Office, Supriono, stated that the body was not found at the location of the landslide, but in the Citarum River, Cipongkor District. "Today at 07.30 WIB, the post received information on the discovery of a body which was found in the Citarum River, Legok Tasrip. From visual observations, the bodies were children," Supriono was quoted as saying by ANTARA, Wednesday, March 27.

His party dispatched a team with Basarnas personnel, BPBD and TNI/Polri to the location where the body was found. Meanwhile, the other team was assigned to the location of the landslide incident.

"A small team has been dispatched to the location where the body was found for an assessment and evacuation," he said.

He said the body was most likely the body of the victim buried by a landslide in zone 2 of the Cibenda Village landslide location, which became the focus of searching for ten buried victims.

"Hopefully what was found was the victim who was in Sector 2. There is a potential (carried by the river current), because the position of the victim's house was above the river. At that time there was a very strong landslide push, causing the victim to be thrown into the river," he said.

After being evacuated, he said, the bodies found about 20 kilometers from the last known position (LKP) will be immediately taken to Cililin Hospital for further identification.

"If this victim is confirmed to be the one above, it means that until now five victims of the Cipongkor landslide have been found," he said.

Previously, the joint SAR team managed to find the bodies of four victims at the location of the landslide in Cibenda Village, Cipongkor District, West Bandung Regency, by being found at close points.