800 landslides over the past 10 years<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): As many as 800 landslides have taken place
\nacross the archipelago over the past decade, killing at least 735
\npeople, data collected by the directorate of geology and
\nenvironment at the Ministry of Mine and Energy showed.<\/p>\n
The head of the natural disaster office at the directorate,
\nSutikno, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday that the death toll
\ndid not include the 51 victims of the recent landslides in
\nPurworejo, Central Java.<\/p>\n
\"Most of the landslides occurred in West Java, with a total of
\n240 victims,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In general, there are between 56 and 80 landslides occurring
\nin the country annually, he said. \"Unfortunately, we are lacking
\nfunds to study the causes of these landslides. We are able to
\nstudy only between 24 and 35 cases a year.\"<\/p>\n
Asked if the landslide-affected villages in Purworejo are
\nstill suitable for inhabitation, Sutikno said technical
\nconclusions had yet to be made. \"Our men have not returned from
\nPurworejo yet.\"<\/p>\n
Purworejo Regent Marsaid had earlier suggested the villagers
\nbe relocated as the areas were no longer suitable to live in.<\/p>\n
According to Sutikno, human activities were a significant
\nfactor in most landslides, although the main triggering factor
\nwas usually the rain.<\/p>\n
\"Mining and quarrying or building houses on the slopes can
\ntrigger landslides,\" he cited. (28\/sur)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/800-landslides-over-the-past-10-years-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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