JAKARTA, Indonesia — At least eight people have died and around 82 remain missing after a massive landslide struck Pasirlangu Village in West Bandung District, West Java Province, early Saturday morning, Indonesian disaster officials said as search and rescue operations continued under difficult conditions.
The predawn landslide, triggered by days of torrential rain and flooding, sent mud, rocks and uprooted trees cascading down the slopes of Mount Burangrang, burying homes and farmland and leaving entire hamlets under thick debris.
According to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), spokesperson Abdul Muhari confirmed that eight bodies have been recovered so far, while dozens more victims are feared buried beneath the mud and rubble. He said 24 residents have been rescued and treated, but search teams are still working to locate the missing.
West Java Provincial Secretary Herman Suryatman said emergency responders from regional disaster mitigation units, the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), police and military are involved in the ongoing operations. He noted that 113 residents were affected, with 82 still unaccounted for as of the latest update.
The Indonesian Siliwangi Military Command is also investigating reports that up to 23 army personnel may be among those missing, although this has not been confirmed and remains under verification, officials said.
Unfavorable weather continues to hamper recovery efforts. Bambang Imanudin, head of the West Java Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency, said prolonged heavy rains, soft soil and unstable terrain have made it difficult for rescuers to deploy heavy machinery safely. Evacuations are still underway, with some 400 residents displaced and taking shelter in temporary evacuation centers.
The landslide ripped through approximately 34 homes and forced the evacuation of families living within 100 meters of the slide zone due to fears of further slope failures, disaster officials said.
Indonesia’s rainy season, typically from October to April, often brings increased risk of landslides and floods, especially in mountainous and densely populated areas. Last December, catastrophic flooding and landslides in Sumatra Province killed more than 1,200 people and displaced hundreds of thousands, highlighting the growing vulnerability of communities to extreme weather events.
The government has pledged relief and support for affected families. West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi announced plans to provide emergency assistance of 10 million rupiah per displaced household to cover temporary housing and daily needs over the coming months.
Officials continue to urge residents in landslide‑prone areas to stay vigilant, evacuate at the first sign of danger and follow local authorities’ instructions as search and rescue operations press on.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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