Basarnas Deploys 250 SAR Personnel to Search for 80 Victims of West Bandung Landslide

Head of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) Mohammad Syafii while giving a statement to the media crew in Cisarua, West Bandung Regency, Sunday (25/1/2026). (ANTARA)

BANDUNG - The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) said that as many as 250 trained Search and Rescue (SAR) Team personnel were deployed in the search operation for 80 landslide victims on the second day in the Cisarua area, West Bandung Regency.

Head of Basarnas Mohammad Syafii said that the SAR operation was carried out gradually by involving all elements of related ministries and agencies, including the TNI and Polri who were in the West Java region.

"In this SAR operation, as many as 250 trained personnel have joined the SAR team with Basarnas acting as the coordinator, assisted by all ministries and agencies, including the TNI and the National Police," said Syafii, quoted by Antara, Sunday, January 25.

He added that in addition to the main SAR team, the search operation was also strengthened by hundreds of supporting personnel from various elements who were tasked with helping the smooth implementation of evacuation in the field.

"Meanwhile, for the supporting operation team, there are about 450 personnel," he said.

On that occasion, he also said that after conducting an initial assessment at the scene, from the point of the crown landslide to the tongue of the landslide, and decided to divide the search area into several sectors to maximize the efforts to evacuate the victims.

The joint SAR team also deployed facilities and infrastructure through two main elements, namely air and land, with a total of 12 air robot units (drones) used and land elements involving personnel and a number of heavy equipment that were alerted.

However, the use of heavy equipment cannot be fully ascertained because the terrain conditions are still very vulnerable with landslide material dominated by sand slurry which has the potential to endanger the SAR team.

"Heavy equipment has not been fully used because the terrain is still a landslide of sand slurry and very vulnerable," he explained.

Basarnas emphasized that the SAR operation was carried out gradually with additional coordination from the SAR team in Bandung, so that all elements could work optimally in evacuating the victims.

The initial target of the search was focused on around 80 people who were reported to still be buried by landslide material with search support efforts by deploying tracking dogs (K9) from the police and TNI elements as well as weather modification efforts.

"We have also deployed K9 tracking dogs from the TNI and Polri. We hope that the weather will be supportive and weather modifications have been carried out in cooperation with BNPB," he concluded.