12 Bodies Found from the Jombang Landslide

Jombang, E Java (Antara) - A search team has discovered 12 dead bodies from the landslides in Ngrimbi village Jombang, East Java. According to the Prevention and Preparedness Chief of Jombang Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency, BPBD, Gunadi, here on Thursday, five bodies out of the 12 casualties were found earlier on January 29. "The first two victims that were found this morning was a couple, Sunarimo and Mukhoiyaroh, and after another evacuation effort, we found three more bodies," Gunadi pointed out. The other three bodies were of Panji Suprapto, Nurul Islamiah and their three year old daughter Nindi. Nindi was first discovered by the officers, when her body was stuck on one of the excavator machines during the landslide excavation operation. Nindi's parents' bodies were then found, after an hour's search, not too far from the location where Nindi's body was. The three bodies were then packed in a body bag and taken to the local mosque to be cleaned before transferring them to a hospital in Jombang for "visum et repertum". With the discovery of the five bodies from the landslide excavation area since Tuesday, January 28, a total of 12 bodies have been found, but according to the report there are two more bodies still to be discovered, namely of Sail and Fatkurozi. The search for landslide survivors had been halted due to heavy rains and was resumed after the rains subsided. As many as three excavating machines were used for the landslide casualties¿ evacuation, stated Gunadi. "We also have two search dogs and wish to find all the bodies by the end of the day, so that they can be buried along with their relatives and families," Gunadi explained. Landslides occurred in Kopen village, Jombang following torrential rains on Monday, Jan. 27. The towering cliff located behind the residential areas eroded and hit four houses, burying 14 people, who were later declared dead. (*)