18 dead in landslides in central Indonesia, search continues for missing persons.

Arab Sea Newspaper - Special

Arab Sea - Follow-ups: Indonesian authorities announced on Monday that at least 18 people had died as a result of landslides that struck two regions in Central Java province, while rescue teams continue their efforts to search for dozens of missing people. The National Disaster Management Agency reported that a landslide occurred last week in the city of Cilacap, burying dozens of homes in the village of Cibeunying, noting that some of the victims were buried at a depth of between 3 and 8 meters, which makes rescue operations more difficult. For his part, M. Abdullah, head of the local search and rescue unit, said that the disaster in Cilacap claimed the lives of 16 people, while 7 others are still missing. In a separate incident, another landslide killed at least two people, while 27 others are missing in the Banjarnegara area, with about 30 homes and a number of farms damaged. These incidents coincide with the continuation of the rainy season in the country, which began in September and is expected to continue until next April, according to the Meteorological Agency, which increases the risk of landslides and floods in several regions.