Soldiers, police and residents are searching in the mud for possible victims of a landslide caused by torrential rain that killed at least nine Indonesian villagers and left 34 others missing.

Tons of mud that rolled from the surrounding hills late on Monday buried 30 houses in Sirnaresmi village of West Java's Sukabumi district.

Sixty people who were displaced have fled to a temporary shelter, National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

He said more than 500 rescuers have retrieved eight bodies from mounds of mud and pulled out four injured people, including an infant who died in the hospital.

They are still searching for 34 villagers said to still be missing.

Authorities struggled to get tractors and other heavy equipment over washed-out roads as heavy rain was hampering search efforts, Nugroho said.

Television footage showed hundreds of police, soldiers and residents digging through debris with their hands, shovels and hoes.

"Lack of equipment, bad weather and blackout hampered our rescue efforts for those who are still missing and feared dead," Nugroho said.

Seasonal rains and high tides in recent days have caused dozens of landslides and widespread flooding across much of Indonesia, a chain of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous areas or near fertile flood plains near rivers.

The landslide occurred during New Year's Eve celebrations less than two weeks after a deadly volcano and tsunami disaster.</s>At least nine people were killed and 34 went missing after a landslide buried more than 30 houses in the western part of the Java island in Indonesia, authorities said on Tuesday.

National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho tweeted that rescue operations were going on in the city of Sukabumi, where the landslide took place on Monday night.</s>Soldiers, police and residents fanned out across a damaged Indonesian village Tuesday, searching in the mud for possible victims of a landslide caused by torrential rain that killed at least nine people and left 34 others missing.

Tons of mud that rolled from the surrounding hills late Monday buried 30 houses in Sirnaresmi village of West Java's Sukabumi district. Sixty people who were displaced have fled to a temporary shelter, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman.

He said more than 500 rescuers have retrieved eight bodies from mounds of mud and pulled out four injured people, including an infant who died in the hospital.

They are still searching for 34 villagers said to still be missing.

Authorities struggled to get tractors and other heavy equipment over washed-out roads as heavy rain was hampering search efforts, Nugroho said. Television footage showed hundreds of police, soldiers and residents digging through debris with their hands, shovels and hoes.

"Lack of equipment, bad weather and blackout hampered our rescue efforts for those who are still missing and feared dead," said Nugroho.

Seasonal rains and high tides in recent days have caused dozens of landslides and widespread flooding across much of Indonesia, a chain of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous areas or near fertile flood plains near rivers.

The landslide occurred during New Year's Eve celebrations less than two weeks after a deadly volcano and tsunami disaster.

On Dec. 22, the Anak Krakatau volcano in the Sunda Strait erupted and partially collapsed into the sea, causing a tsunami that killed 437 people on Java and Sumatra islands. At least 16 people still missing and more than 33,700 residents were displaced.

Rescuers are searching for survivors after a landslide triggered by heavy rain left at least five people dead and dozens missing in western Indonesia, an official said Tuesday.

The landslide occurred shortly before sunset on Monday in West Java province. Search and rescue teams have found five people dead and are scouring the area for at least 38 missing people according to the national disaster agency.

Pouring rain, electricity cuts and rough roads are preventing heavy machinery from accessing the area in Sukabumi regency, disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

"Relief efforts have also been hampered by a lot of people who want to get to the disaster," he said.

"The roads are narrow which has caused rescue teams, logistics and ambulances to be stuck in traffic jams."

The search operation was halted overnight but continued Tuesday morning.

Three people have been injured in the disaster and 61 others evacuated from the area, Nugroho said.

Landslides are common in Indonesia, a vast tropical archipelago prone to natural disasters and torrential downpours.

More than 20 people died in October when flash floods and landslides hit several provinces on Sumatra island, western Indonesia.

In June 2016, nearly 50 people died when floods and landslides struck Banjarnegara regency, Central Java province.</s>JAKARTA, INDONESIA—Authorities say a landslide triggered by torrential rain has killed at least five people and left 38 others missing on Indonesia’s main island of Java.

National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said soldiers, police and volunteers fanned out Tuesday across a damaged village of Sirnaresmi in West Java’s Sukabumi district to search the dislodged earth for possible victims.</s>JAKARTA, Indonesia — Soldiers, police and residents fanned out across a damaged Indonesian village Tuesday, searching in the mud for possible victims of a landslide caused by torrential rain that killed at least nine people and left 34 others missing.

Tons of mud that rolled from the surrounding hills late Monday buried 30 houses in Sirnaresmi village of West Java's Sukabumi district. Sixty people who were displaced have fled to a temporary shelter, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman.

He said more than 500 rescuers have retrieved eight bodies from mounds of mud and pulled out four injured people, including an infant who died in the hospital. They are still searching for 34 villagers said to still be missing.

Authorities struggled to get tractors and other heavy equipment over washed-out roads as heavy rain was hampering search efforts, Nugroho said. Television footage showed hundreds of police, soldiers and residents digging through debris with their hands, shovels and hoes.

"Lack of equipment, bad weather and blackout hampered our rescue efforts for those who are still missing and feared dead," said Nugroho.

Seasonal rains and high tides in recent days have caused dozens of landslides and widespread flooding across much of Indonesia, a chain of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous areas or near fertile flood plains near rivers.

The landslide occurred during New Year's Eve celebrations less than two weeks after a deadly volcano and tsunami disaster.

On Dec. 22, the Anak Krakatau volcano in the Sunda Strait erupted and partially collapsed into the sea, causing a tsunami that killed 437 people on Java and Sumatra islands. At least 16 people still missing and more than 33,700 residents were displaced.</s>Torrential rain has caused a landslide that buried dozens of homes in a village in West Java. Scores of people remain missing, and a young child is among those dead.

At least 15 people have been killed and dozens more are missing after a landslide hit the Indonesian region of West Java on Monday.

The tragedy took place in the village of Sirnaresmi in Sukabumi district shortly before sunset on New Year's Eve.

Tons of mud that poured down from the surrounding hills buried 30 houses in the village.

More than 500 rescuers were sent to the area and retrieved eight bodies and the injured from mounds of mud, including an infant who died in the hospital, disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

Sixty others were evacuated from the area, he added.

Heavy rain, power cuts and rough roads hampered rescuers, and slowed down the movement of heavy machinery to the area.

"The roads are narrow which has caused rescue teams, logistics and ambulances to be stuck in traffic jams," said Nugroho.

Seasonal rains and high tides in recent days have caused dozens of landslides and widespread flooding across much of Indonesia.

In October, more than 20 people died when flash floods and landslides hit several provinces in Sumatra. In June 2016, nearly 50 people died when floods and landslides struck Central Java.</s>At least two people are dead and 41 people are missing after a landslide hit the Indonesian region of West Java on Monday.

Rescue teams are searching the village of Sirnaresmi in Sukabumi district. The village was hit by a landslide shortly before sunset on New Year's Eve.

Rescuers were hampered by heavy rain, power cuts and rough roads, officials said.

Read more: Ring of Fire: Five facts about the most earthquake prone region in the world

In October, more than 20 people died when flash floods and landslides hit several provinces on Sumatra. In June 2016, nearly 50 people died when floods and landslides struck Central Java.

Every day at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.</s>The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Rescuers recovered six more bodies buried under tons of mud from a landslide that crashed onto a hilly village on Indonesia’s main island of Java, bringing the death toll to 15, officials said Tuesday.

The landslide that plunged down surrounding hills just before sunset Monday buried 30 houses in Sirnaresmi village in West Java’s Sukabumi district. Sixty people who lost their homes were forced to move to a temporary shelter, said National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

Television video showed relatives wailing as they watched rescuers pull a mud-caked body from a devastated hamlet. It was placed in a blue bag and taken away for burial.

Authorities struggled to bring tractors and other heavy equipment over washed-out roads after torrential rains sent mud and rocks crashing onto the hilly hamlets. Hundreds of police, soldiers and residents dug through the debris with their bare hands, shovels and hoes as heavy rain hindered their efforts.

“Lack of equipment, bad weather and a blackout hampered our rescue efforts for those who are still missing and feared dead,” Nugroho said.

Made Oka Astawa, head of the operations division at the National Search and Rescue Agency, said the six bodies were found under 4 meters (13 feet) of mud with the help of two excavators that managed to reach the devastated area.

Astawa said rescuers also pulled out four injured people, including an infant who died in a hospital. Twenty villagers are still believed to be missing.

He said the search effort was halted late Tuesday due to darkness and heavy rains that made the landslide areas unstable. The operation is to be resumed early Wednesday.

Seasonal rains and high tides in recent days have caused dozens of landslides and widespread flooding across much of Indonesia, a chain of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous areas or near fertile flood plains close to rivers.

The landslide occurred during New Year’s Eve celebrations.

On Dec. 22, the Anak Krakatau volcano in the Sunda Strait erupted and partially collapsed into the sea, causing a tsunami that killed at least 437 people on Java and Sumatra islands. At least 16 people are still missing and more than 33,700 residents were displaced.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.</s>Authorities today informed that minimum of nine people were killed and 34 went missing after a landslide buried more than 30 houses in Indonesia’s Java island.

National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho tweeted that rescue operations were going on in Sukabumi city, where the landslide took place on Monday night, Efe news reported.

Amid conditions made difficult by rain and mud, emergency teams were looking for survivors in the hilly area buried by the landslide.

Floods and landslides affect Indonesia every year during the rainy season, which lasts from December to February.</s>JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Authorities say a landslide triggered by torrential rain has killed at least five people and left 38 others missing on Indonesia's main island of Java.

National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said soldiers, police and volunteers fanned out Tuesday across a damaged village of Sirnaresmi in West Java's Sukabumi district to search the dislodged earth for possible victims.

The mud that rolled from the surrounding hills late Monday buried 30 houses, leaving 61 people displaced.

Nugroho said the rescuers have retrieved five bodies and pulled three injured people from the mud and rushed them to a hospital.

Seasonal rains in recent days have caused dozens of landslides and widespread flooding across Indonesia, a chain of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous areas or near fertile flood plains near rivers.
At least nine people are killed and 34 others are missing after a landslide strikes a village in Sukabumi, West Java, in Indonesia.