JAKARTA - The joint SAR team is searching for 82 residents who were buried in a landslide on the slope of Mount Burangrang, Cisarua District, West Bandung Regency, West Java, due to heavy rain that occurred early Saturday.
The Regional Secretary (Sekda) of West Java Province (Jabar) Herman Suryatman said the search was carried out manually by relying on joint personnel and the help of K9 tracking dogs.
"Of the 113 residents who were hit by the landslide, 23 survived and we have secured them. Then eight people were found dead and 82 others are still in the process of being searched," said Herman at the scene, Saturday, January 24, reported by ANTARA.
Herman said the search and evacuation process for the victims was directly coordinated by the Regent of West Bandung by involving various elements, including the TNI, Polri, Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), and Basarnas.
According to him, the local government prioritizes handling the survivors who have been evacuated to emergency tents, while waiting for safer weather and terrain conditions to continue the search process.
Cisarua Police Chief A. Y. Yogaswara said the incident occurred on Saturday morning at around 03.00 WIB, which was preceded by a loud rumbling sound heard by residents before the soil and mud material slid from Pasirkuning Village to Pasir Kuda Village, Pasirlangu Village.
"During the incident, residents heard a loud rumbling sound, then the landslide material moved from the direction of Pasirkuning Village to Pasir Kuda Village and was accompanied by flash floods," he said.
He appealed to residents living around the scene to remain vigilant and stay away from the landslide area, considering that there is still the potential for subsequent disasters due to unstable soil conditions.
"We will continue to make maximum efforts to search for the victims by prioritizing the safety of officers in the field," said Yogaswara.
As a result of the incident, dozens of residents' houses were reported to have been buried by landslides and mud, causing heavy damage to settlements around the affected locations.
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