Three killed in latest landslide in Central Java

PURWOREJO, Central Java (JP): Heavy rain over the past two days in Purworejo caused a landslide on Thursday which killed three people, injured six others and destroyed 10 houses, bringing the death toll in the area from landslides to 51.

Eyewitnesses said that early on Thursday morning a 60-meter- high hill located in Bapangsari village, Bagelen district, collapsed following torrential rainfall since Wednesday.

According to records from the joint emergency post, the three victims were Martodiwiryo, 40, Marminah, 35, and Seneng, 80.

Eight other people are reported missing.

Susanto, the chief of security at the emergency post, confirmed the deaths, saying Seneng was recovered from beneath two meters of mud in her house at 2 p.m. The bodies of Martodiwiryo and Marminah were recovered at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., respectively.

According to the latest information, as many as 31 people have been hospitalized and 150 houses in 22 villages damaged, 54 of them completely destroyed, in landslides in the area.

"All the records are still tentative. Reports have been flowing in from the villages from time to time," said Susanto.

Money, food, medicine and clothes donated by various sources have been arriving in the area. Some of the aid has been distributed to the affected residents.

The Association of Army Families from the Central Java Diponegoro Military Command donated food and medicine to the residents on Thursday.

"I don't know the amount of the aid," Lt. Col. A. Musyafir, the spokesman for the military command, said.

Purworejo Regent Marsaid said on Wednesday his office had received at least Rp 40 million in cash, 11 tons of rice, 745 boxes of instant noodles and clothes from the public.

This latest landslide might convince residents that affected villages remain unsafe for habitation.

Both Central Java Governor Mardiyanto and Marsaid said affected residents would likely be resettled.

Meanwhile, thousands of residential houses in the regency of Kebumen and the Central Java capital of Semarang were inundated following heavy rain on Wednesday. No fatalities were reported.

The water level reached two meters high in almost 20 villages, forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes.

Kebumen administration spokesman Subagyo said all activities in the regency had come to a standstill. "All schools and offices were closed."

In Semarang, at least four subdistricts were affected by the flooding. (23/har/sur)