West Bandung Landslide Claims Eight Lives, Dozens Still Missing

JAKARTA: The death toll from a devastating landslide in West Bandung, West Java, has risen to eight, while 82 people are still feared missing, authorities confirmed on Saturday.

The landslide struck Pasir Langu village at around 2.30am, burying several residential areas after hours of intense rainfall, according to Indonesia’s National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB).

BNPB Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Head Abdul Muhari said 23 people were rescued alive, while at least 113 residents from 34 families were affected by the disaster. The number of homes damaged or destroyed is still being verified by assessment teams on the ground.

Emergency response efforts were immediately activated, with the West Bandung Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) conducting rapid damage assessments and launching search and rescue (SAR) operations to locate survivors and recover victims.

Abdul Muhari said the regency remains under Emergency Alert Status for floods, flash floods, extreme weather, and landslides until April 30, as the risk of further hydrometeorological disasters remains high.

In response to worsening weather conditions across West Java, BNPB has intensified Weather Modification Operations (OMC) aimed at reducing rainfall intensity. The operations have been ongoing since Jan 12 in West Java and Jakarta, with two aircraft initially deployed from Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base.

Between Jan 13 and Jan 22, a total of 32 sorties were conducted over West Java, dispersing 32,000 kilograms of cloud-seeding materials, while 19 sorties over Jakarta released 12,400 kilograms during the same period.

To strengthen rainfall control efforts, BNPB has added two Caravan aircraft to the operations starting Friday and may extend the program to Banten Province if the threat of extreme weather escalates.

Rescue operations are continuing as authorities race against time amid challenging weather and terrain conditions.