Landslide claims more lives in Garut after Bali tragedy

Landslide claims more lives in Garut after Bali tragedy

JAKARTA (JP): Five residents, including a father and son, who
were working to clear out mud from a landslide in Garut, West
Java, died when another landslide hit them on Friday. As of
Saturday at least two more were believed to have died.

The tragedy was the second following a landslide in Gianyar,
Bali, where the death toll reached 32 on Saturday as five more
bodies were shoveled out of the mud. Heavy rains stopped the
search which was planned to continue on Sunday.

Meanwhile recent floods, which killed seven in South Sulawesi,
are taking a further toll with scores of people being treated for
diarrhea and other ailments. One nine-year old was reported to
have died.

A landslide also took place in Jember, East Java, on Friday
evening, killing one woman and injuring three others, Antara
reported.

The victims were taking shelter from heavy rain in a food
stall at the foot of a hill in Karang Silo village when the
incident happened.

The landslide in Garut occurred Friday at the Sukalaksana
village in Talegong district, about 70 kilometers southeast of
Bandung.

"Despite heavy rains the villagers continued to clear the
streets, covered by a previous landslide," Genteng subdistrict
military chief Second Sgt. Kuatno Santosa told The Jakarta Post.

About 20 villagers and Kampung Genteng police post chief Sgt.
Dadang Purlana worked to clear the road connecting Pengalengan
and Cisewu in Garut. They started shortly after dinner following
the breaking of the fast. Unexpectedly, another landslide hit the
area, destroying two homes.

Workers rescued 7 people from the mud on Friday, and pulled
out the bodies of Karis bin Adeh, 30, Jajang, 28, and Masri, 28.
The seven survivors were taken to hospital, some with severe
injuries. Another two bodies were recovered Saturday, identified
as Yayan 19, and his father Dadang, 48. Two others, Pardi bin
Ucum and Jajang, are yet to be found.

In Ujungpandang, hospitals were full of patients suffering
from dengue, diarrhea, breathing difficulties and skin infections
following the floods of Jan. 3 and 4.

The coordinator of medical volunteers here, Idrus Paturusi,
said about 500 people were suffering from flood-related ailments.
The state-owned TVRI reported one nine-year-old died of diarrhea.

The ailments were detected by medical volunteers during the
evacuation of some 8,000 flood victims in Ujungpandang and
surrounding areas.

Hospital staff told the Post they expected more patients.
Thirty-two diagnosed with diarrhea came from one housing complex
in Antang, one of the areas where a coordination post had been
set up.

Medical volunteer Yeni said unsanitory conditions, including
dirty wells, were one cause for the spread of diarrhea.

"The most dangerous period is the first two weeks after
floods," she said.

In Gianyar, Bali, apart from the five more bodies recovered on
Saturday, eight more are believed to still buried.

Gianyar police precinct chief Lt. Col. Komaruddin told the
Post on Saturday that heavy rains stopped rescue work at the site
in Timbul hamlet in Pupuan village.

"The location is declared closed to the public for fears of
new landslides," he said, explaining there were many gorges
with steep banks in the area.

Komaruddin said that the five latest found bodies were I.
Wayan Rungki, I. Kerug, I. Kadeg Pasek, I. Wayan Sukade and I.
Wayan Sudi.

"The five were immediately buried in a public cemetery near
the hamlet after being identified by local authorities and their
families," he said.

He said rescuers from the Mobile Brigade of the Gianyar
district military and local volunteers would continue their work
again on Sunday.

An estimated 40 people were buried in the landslide on
Thursday morning while working with 30 others to repair and
irrigation canal near the hamlet.

Seventeen bodies were discovered on Thursday and 10 others on
Friday. Twelve people escaped and seven others are still at the
Gianyar General Hospital.

Gianyar Regent Cekorde Gde Budi Suryawan said part of Rp 50
million in cash and dozens of tons of rice from authorities and
the public has been channeled to victims and their families.

In another part of the country, nearly a week of floods has
destroyed hundreds of homes in Tanah Laut regency in South
Kalimantan.

Antara did not report any fatalities. (43/rms/27/prb)