Landslide hits Jambi, leaves 1 person dead, another missing

Jon Afrizal, The Jakarta Post/Jambi

A landslide hit Talang Lindung subdistrict in Kerinci, here on Wednesday night, leaving one resident dead, another missing and three others severely injured.

The landslide, which occurred after three days of heavy rain, also damaged 20 houses in the area.

The dead resident was identified as Dasni, 55, while the missing one has been named as Lusi, 16.

"Three other victims Yusnidar, 26, Tarida, 20 and Warman, 50 are being treated at Kerinci Regental Hospital for severe injuries," Kerinci administration spokesman Adli was quoted as saying by Antara news agency on Thursday.

The landslide and flooding had also led to the collapse of three bridges, damage to two others and the loss of a good number of chickens, cows and goats. The local administration is still calculating the material losses.

Following the disaster, over 100 residents took refuge in places of worship and their relatives' houses in neighboring subdistricts.

Adli said that the government would soon channel various kinds of aid to the refugees, including money, food, cooking utensils, secondhand clothing and rice.

In the meantime, security and police personnel, helped by local residents, are searching for Lusi, who went missing on Wednesday night.

Separately, Debby Martyr, an environmental activist with Tiger Sumatra, said the subdistrict was prone to landslides and flooding.

The subdistrict is located at the foot of Mount Kerinci. Illegal logging activities on the lower slopes of the mountain have made the area susceptible to landslides in the event of rain.

Debby added that floods and landslides had been an annual occurrence for years in Kerinci, which is some 500 kilometers west of Jambi, the capital of Jambi province.

Mount Kerinci stands some 3,750 meters above sea level.