East Java's rescuers continue efforts to trace 16 missing residents

Surabaya, E Java (ANTARA) - A joint team of search and rescue workers on Monday continued their efforts to locate 16 other locals still buried alive after landslides struck the Selopuro Hamlet of Ngetos Village, Ngetos Sub-district, Nganjuk District, East Java.

The East Java Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) confirmed that Mur, Parmin, Sita, Putra, Yono, Umi, Dimas, Endra, Darimon, Muriyam, Sunar, Prastyo, Rama, Reihan, Yatemo, and Yatini were still missing.

The landslides, occurring on the hamlet's cliff that buried 20 locals and wounded 14 others, were triggered by torrential rains lashing the area on Sunday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. local time, the agency's acting head, Yanuar Rachmadi, stated.

Four residents, who were buried alive along with 16 others, had been found. Two survived the landslides that also compelled 147 residents to take refuge, while two others died, Rachmadi remarked.

The Nganjuk Disaster Mitigation Agency has activated its disaster response unit's communication network and mitigation unit, while the district's social affairs office has started a public kitchen to assist the affected residents.

The islands of Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi experienced several hydrological disasters in the initial two months of 2021.

In Java Island, flash floods recently inundated some parts of Semarang in Central Java after torrential rains lashed the city.

Landslides also hit Cihanjuang Village in Cimanggung Sub-district, Sumedang District, West Java Province, on January 9.

Residents of several areas in Subang District, West Java Province, also experienced flooding. The government has taken steps to ensure those affected by the natural hazards are not left in limbo.

On Feb 13, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin had distributed President Joko Widodo's humanitarian aid packages for the flood victims in Subang District, West Java.

The aid packages comprised 1,500 staple food packages, 200 house cleaning tools, one thousand rapid testing kits, 300 thousand face masks, five thousand cleaning gloves, and one thousand mattresses.

Meanwhile, in Sumatra Island, flash floods and a landslide damaged seven homes and broke a bridge in Wih Ni Durin Village, Syiah Utama Sub-district, Bener Meriah District, Aceh Province, following incessant heavy rains in the Gayo highland area.

In the island of Kalimantan, massive floods and landslides also hit several parts of South Kalimantan following incessant downpour on January 12.

The floods affected the districts of Banjar, Tapin, Tabalong, Balangan, and Hulu Sungai Tengah and the cities of Tanah Laut and Banjar Baru.

The massive floods, triggered by incessant heavy rains since January 12, reportedly claimed 15 lives, swamped 24,379 houses, and displaced 39,549 people. (*)