More bodies of landslide victims recovered
JAKARTA (JP): Four more bodies were shoveled out of the mud from two separate landslide incidents in Gianyar, Bali and Garut, West Java, officials reported on Sunday.
Rescue workers in Gianyar continued searching for the victims and found three more bodies on Sunday in Timbul hamlet in Pupuan village. The site was now closed for the public and rescue work would resume Monday morning.
Gianyar police precinct chief Lt. Col. Komaruddin said one of the three men was I Wayan Latre, who was in charge of the irrigation system in the village.
The other two were identified as I Nyoman Putre and I Nyoman Puji, Komaruddin told The Jakarta Post.
"Despite rains and possible further landslides, we will continue searching for five more men that we believe are still trapped under the soil," he said.
The bodies discovered on Sunday have already started to decompose, he said. They brought the death toll in Gianyar's landslide to 35. Seven others are being still treated at Gianyar General Hospital and 12 other escaped unhurt.
An estimated 40 people were buried in the landslide on Thursday morning while working with 30 others to repair an irrigation canal near the hamlet.
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare and Poverty Eradication Haryono Suyono and Minister of Public Works Rachmadi Bambang Sunadyo who arrived at Timbul village at about 11 a.m. Sunday failed to witness the evacuation due to bad weather, Antara reported.
In Garut, West Java, another body, identified as Jajang Pelor, 38, was found at about 11 a.m. Sunday.
The body was found minutes after West Java Governor Nuriyana visited the scene and delivered assistance to the landslide victims in Sukalaksana village in Talegong district, about 70 kilometers southeast of Bandung.
Six men died and seven were injured in the disaster which occurred Friday night.
"We're still searching for one more victim. We are hampered by thick fog, rains and possibility of further landslide," chief of Garut police precinct Lt. Col. Fajar Purnomo told the Post.
In a related development, the directorate general of Bina Marga at Public Works Ministry announced it would distribute to Idul Fitri travelers maps of areas along Java northern coasts which were considered prone to landslide.
"Starting Monday we will distribute the maps so people going home for Idul Fitri Muslim holiday could watch out for possible landslides on their trips," director general Tjuk Sudarsono said Saturday.
Meanwhile, Central Java Police announced they have deployed 165 officers in spots along the northern coastal route from Tegal to Pati considered to be prone to robbery.
Police spokesman Lt. Col. Moch. Ramli told the Post that police have also netted 51 alleged looters and robbers along the route so far. (edt/44/45)