Deadly Landslide in Indonesia: 6 Dead, 17 Missing

A landslide in Central Java, Indonesia has killed six people and left 17 missing after days of heavy rainfall. The disaster struck the Cibinong area of Cilacap city on Thursday, burying dozens of homes under tons of debris.

Budi Irawan, an official with Indonesia's disaster management agency, confirmed that rescue teams found three more bodies on Saturday, bringing the death toll to six. "We found three more bodies, so the number of missing is now 17. We are working as hard as we can to find them," he said.

The rescue operation faces major challenges. Victims are buried under debris at depths ranging from three to eight meters, making recovery efforts extremely difficult and dangerous for emergency crews.

This disaster highlights Indonesia's vulnerability during its rainy season, which runs from September to April. The country's meteorological agency warns that this extended wet period significantly increases the risk of floods and landslides across multiple regions.

Indonesia has already seen deadly landslides this year. In January, flooding and landslides in Pekalongan city, also in Central Java, killed at least 25 people. These incidents underscore the ongoing threat that seasonal rains pose to communities living in mountainous and hilly areas throughout the archipelago.

The Southeast Asian nation's geography makes it particularly susceptible to natural disasters. With thousands of islands featuring steep terrain and frequent heavy rainfall, landslides remain a persistent danger for millions of Indonesians, especially those in rural and mountainous communities.