Heavy Rain Halts Efforts to Evacuate Landslide Victims

Banjarnegara, Central Java, Dec 13 (ANTARA Lampung) - Efforts to find and evacuate victims of the landslide in Jemblung hamlet in Banjarnegara, Central Java, were halted on Saturday afternoon due to heavy rain.

A spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, said that heavy rain had temporarily stopped their search and rescue efforts.

According to him, 17 victims had been found dead so far. While 11 others were found seriously wounded, four more were found inflicted with less serious injuries in the incident.

He added that 91 other victims of the disaster were still unaccounted for.

Nugroho further noted that the ground was unstable; the current of the river that passed through the village was very strong and carried mud; the heavy rainfall was causing fear of another possible landslide.

"Several roads were blocked by the landslide, and several sections cracked and were dangerous to pass through. These posed difficulties as heavy duty equipment could not be deployed there to help in the rescue and evacuation efforts," he remarked.

Moreover, BNPB Chief Syamsul Maarif was on the location, helping direct emergency response efforts.

Personnel from the BNPB, military, police, health services, Search and Rescue Service (Basarnas), and the ministries of social affairs and public works have been on the site to help deal with the disaster that happened at around 5.30 p. m. on Friday, triggered by heavy rain.