Landslide in Central Java, Indonesia Kills 17, with Several Missing Amid Heavy Rain

A devastating landslide triggered by heavy rainfall on Indonesia’s main island of Java has claimed at least 17 lives, with three to five people still missing, according to disaster officials. The incident occurred in a mountainous region near Pekalongan city, Central Java province, on Monday afternoon, as intense rainfall caused the ground to give way, burying homes, vehicles, and infrastructure in thick mud.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) reported that 16 people were found dead after being buried by the landslide, with three others initially listed as missing. However, local authorities later raised the missing toll to five. The landslide also destroyed at least one bridge, further complicating rescue efforts.

Television footage from the scene showed volunteers retrieving bodies and roads covered in mud, while officials warned that moderate rain over the next few days could cause further flooding, flash floods, and landslides. Rescue workers, along with local volunteers, police, and soldiers, have been scrambling to search for survivors, with heavy machinery expected to assist in digging through the debris.

The area, prone to landslides during the rainy season, remains difficult to access, and search efforts were temporarily delayed by heavy rain on Tuesday. The landslide follows a series of weather-related disasters in Indonesia, including flooding in western parts of the country that killed 27 people last November.