Rescue teams in Central Java are searching for about 20 people missing after landslides triggered by several days of torrential rain. Three bodies have been recovered so far, and authorities plan to evacuate residents from 28 high-risk houses. Around 200 personnel with heavy machinery have been deployed, but unstable ground has complicated early recovery efforts. Seasonal rains from October to March frequently cause deadly floods and landslides across Indonesia.
Torrential Rains Trigger Landslides in Central Java — 3 Dead, 20 Missing; 200 Rescuers Deployed
Rescue teams in Central Java are searching for about 20 people missing after landslides triggered by several days of torrential rain. Three bodies have been recovered so far, and authorities plan to evacuate residents from 28 high-risk houses. Around 200 personnel with heavy machinery have been deployed, but unstable ground has complicated early recovery efforts. Seasonal rains from October to March frequently cause deadly floods and landslides across Indonesia.
04:08 PM, 11/14/2025Environment
Landslides in Central Java After Days of Torrential Rain
Rescuers in Indonesia continued searching Friday for people unaccounted for after landslides struck parts of Java island following several days of heavy rain. Authorities have confirmed three fatalities and say about 20 people remain missing.
The landslides occurred Thursday evening and swept through dozens of houses across three villages in Central Java province. The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) said it plans to evacuate residents from 28 homes situated in the highest-risk zones.
"We are going to evacuate those in vulnerable areas so that they leave their homes before any further landslides happen and cause additional casualties," said Suharyanto, head of the disaster agency.
BNPB officials said roughly 200 rescuers, supported by heavy machinery, were mobilized for search and recovery operations. Video released by the National Search and Rescue Agency showed teams combing through rubble and collapsed homes for people believed to be buried beneath debris.
Rescue teams recovered a third body on Friday and said they were still searching for about 20 missing people. Agency spokesman Abdul Muhari said unstable, shifting ground made early recovery work more difficult during the critical "golden hour." Rescuers used heavy equipment, extraction devices and hand tools to reach areas with limited access.
Wider context
Seasonal heavy rains from roughly October through March often cause flooding and landslides across Indonesia, an archipelago of about 17,000 islands where many communities live in mountainous terrain or on fertile floodplains. In January, torrential rains in Central Java also caused floods and landslides that killed more than 20 residents.
What authorities are doing: Evacuations of residents in vulnerable houses, continued search-and-rescue operations, and the deployment of heavy equipment to reach difficult areas. Officials continue to warn residents to stay clear of unstable slopes and flood-prone areas while recovery work continues.