Landslides, floods wreak havoc in Central Java

PURWOREJO, Central Java (JP): Landslides and floods which had struck Purworejo, Purbalingga and Kebumen regencies following two days of torrential rains, have killed at least 21 residents and damaged dozens of houses, an official reported on Sunday.

Nineteen of the 21 fatalities were in Purworejo and two in Kebumen. There were no reports of fatalities in Purbalingga.

Local authorities and residents were still looking for more bodies of residents who had been missing since the disaster which left several areas in southern Central Java inundated, occurred on Saturday.

In Purworejo, Kemanukan village chief Sutarna said on Sunday that six Kemanukan villagers in Bagelan district had been buried alive by the landslide.

"We have recovered six bodies that had been buried in the mud," he said, while identifying the six as Karsini, Hadi Waluyo, Tugino, Kesi, Agus and Riswanto.

"We are still searching for the remains of two other residents whom we believe are also buried in the mud," he said.

An officer with the Purworejo Police subprecinct Sgt. Maj. Thohir told The Jakarta Post that landslides had buried 12 residents of Pasekelan and Pelipir villages in Purworejo and injured nine others while five residents were still missing.

Later on the same day, residents found the body of an elementary school student, Kus Aminah from Delanggu village in Butuh district, Purworejo. Kus went missing after being swept away by strong water currents, Antara reported. The village was hardest hit by floods in Purworejo.

A search and rescue team has been sent to the location and is still looking for more bodies. Local authorities have yet to make any estimation on the number of fatalities or material losses.

The landslide, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, covered at least 10 houses, damaged scores of others and destroyed crops.

Residents said they only heard rumbling sounds from a hill in Karangrejo area before the landslide engulfed the village which is located at the foot of the hill.

Floods also engulfed three districts in Purbalingga. No fatalities were reported, but the one-meter high floodwater had inundated six villages in Kemangkon district, forcing residents to move to higher locations.

While in Kebumen, Regent Rustriningsih instructed local officials to set up several emergency posts at the regency, district and village levels with round-the-clock public kitchens in flood-prone areas.

Floods and a landslide also struck seven districts in Kebumen regency. Two lives were lost when the one-meter high floodwater inundated the area while the landslide demolished dozens of houses.

Adimulyo district was the hardest hit area in Kebumen where floodwaters, recorded as 1.7 meters high, inundated its 23 villages, forcing residents to abandon their houses.

Security authorities, backed by local residents are continuing their rescue efforts to find missing residents. (har/lup)