At least 10 dead, 18 missing after landslide in Indonesia

JAKARTA - At least 10 people have died and 18 others remain missing after a landslide struck a residential area in Indonesia's Central Java province, authorities said on Friday.

The casualties followed days of heavy rainfall that triggered the landslide in the village of Pandanarum in Pandanarum district, according to the disaster mitigation agency BNPB.

Seven bodies were recovered on Thursday, bringing the total number of confirmed fatalities to 10, BNPB spokesperson Abdul Muhari said.

Muhari said prolonged rain, the presence of large springs, and existing cracks on surrounding hills had weakened soil layers, contributing to the scale of the disaster. Search and rescue operations continue under challenging conditions, he added.

Local authorities reported significant damage, with 48 houses destroyed or collapsed and 195 others affected. A total of 934 residents have been evacuated to temporary shelters, according to the latest BNPB update issued Thursday evening.

More than 700 personnel from multiple agencies, including the national search and rescue agency Basarnas, the military, police, local disaster management units, and volunteers, have been deployed to the area.

Search efforts are divided into three sectors and supported by heavy machinery, search-and-rescue dog units, and equipment to clear waterlogged areas at the site.