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By Lilith Foster-Collins
News Reporter
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At least 17 people have died, and eight remain missing, after torrential rains triggered flash floods and landslides across Indonesia's Java island.
Why It Matters
Flash floods and landslides during Indonesia's rainy season frequently lead to devastating loss of life and infrastructure damage.
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Millions of people live in at-risk mountainous areas or near fertile floodplains.
Heavy seasonal rain from about October to March frequently causes flooding and landslides in Indonesia, an archipelago of 17,000 islands.
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What To Know
On Monday, heavy rains caused rivers to overflow, sweeping through nine villages in Pekalongan district, Central Java province.
Mud, rocks and trees cascaded down mountainsides, burying homes and carrying away villagers.
The worst-hit village, Petungkriyono, accounted for most of the 17 confirmed fatalities, while rescue teams are still searching for eight missing individuals.
Eleven survivors were injured and transported to nearby hospitals.
Rescuers—including police, soldiers and volunteers—used excavators, farm tools and their hands to search the rubble.
Victims were carried on bamboo stretchers or in body bags to ambulances or trucks while bad weather, rugged terrain and fresh mudslides hampered rescue efforts.
The floods also destroyed two main bridges connecting villages in Pekalongan district.
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Landslides Across Indonesia
A separate landslide hit Bali's Denpasar area on Monday, killing four people and leaving one person missing.
Other provinces across Indonesia also reported flooding and landslides due to the ongoing seasonal rains.
In December, a landslide and flash floods in Sukabumi, West Java, killed 12 people, destroyed dozens of homes and forced evacuations in vulnerable areas.
Villagers described the floods as "unprecedented" with rapid water currents sweeping through settlements.
In November, a North Sumatra landslide left 20 dead and two missing while rescue teams struggled to reach remote areas. A landslide in the region also hit a tourist bus, killing nine people.
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What People Are Saying
Bergas Catursasi, head of the local Disaster Management Agency, said that "bad weather, mudslides and rugged terrain hampered the rescue operation."
Abdul Muhari, National Disaster Management Agency spokesperson, said that flash floods swept away villagers and vehicles passing through devastated villages and triggered a landslide that buried two houses.
Budiono, head of the provincial Search and Rescue Office, said operations were suspended Tuesday afternoon due to heavy rain and thick fog but will resume early Wednesday.
What Happens Next
Search and rescue operations are expected to resume on Wednesday if weather permits.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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