At least 17 people have been confirmed dead and eight remain missing after severe flash floods and landslides ravaged hilly villages in the Pekalongan regency of Central Java province on Monday, The Associated Press reports.
Torrential rains caused rivers to overflow, unleashing a deluge of mud, rocks, and trees that swept through nine villages, devastating homes and infrastructure.
Bergas Catursasi, head of the local Disaster Management Agency, reported that the worst-hit village was Petungkriyono, where rescue workers have recovered 17 bodies. Search and rescue operations are ongoing for eight villagers who are still unaccounted for. Eleven injured individuals were rescued and transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Television footage on Tuesday showed rescue teams, comprised of police, soldiers, and emergency personnel, using excavators, farm equipment, and their hands to sift through the wreckage. Victims were carried on bamboo stretchers or in body bags to waiting ambulances and trucks.
Catursasi stated that the rescue efforts were hampered by “bad weather, mudslides and rugged terrain.” He explained that people fishing in the river and those seeking shelter from the rain were caught off guard and swept away by the sudden flash floods.
National Disaster Management Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari added that the flash floods swept away both villagers and vehicles traversing the affected areas. The disaster also triggered a landslide that buried two houses and destroyed two major bridges connecting villages in the Pekalongan district.
Indonesia is prone to seasonal flooding and landslides during its rainy season, which typically runs from October to March. The country’s mountainous terrain and densely populated areas, often near floodplains, make it particularly vulnerable to such disasters.
This recent tragedy follows a series of similar incidents in Indonesia. Just last month, landslides, flash floods, and strong winds in the Sukabumi district of West Java province claimed 12 lives. In November, heavy downpours in North Sumatra province triggered landslides and flash floods, resulting in 20 deaths and two missing persons, and a separate landslide killed nine people traveling on a tourist bus.
