More bodies of landslide victims recovered
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)