Death Toll in Banjarnegara Labslide Increases to 51 on Monday

Jakarta (Antara) - The death toll of the landslide that hit Jemblung hamlet in Central Java's Banjarnegara district rose to 51 on Monday afternoon, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Board (BNPB). "Search is on for 57 more missing people," head of the agency's data and information center Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said here on Monday. Nearly 200 of the 308 residents of Jemblung have survived the natural disaster, while 108 people are believed to be buried under the landslide debris, he revealed. He added that 43 of the 51 bodies have been identified and returned to their families. "Eight people with serious injuries are under treatment at Banjarnegara general hospital and 11 others who have sustained minor injuries are undergoing treatment at a public health centre post (puskesmas), he noted. However, he refused to divulge the estimate of material losses caused by the landslide. According to the agency, the landslide has seriously destroyed 35 houses, a mosque, eight hectares of rice field, and covered nearly one kilometer of river. "We are still calculating the material losses," he stressed. Cars and motorcyclists passing by the area when the landslide struck were also buried under the debris. The major landslide hit Banjarnegara last Friday following heavy rains. (*) Reported by Nanien Yuniar