Search teams in West Java are working to find 32 people still missing after a landslide in Pasir Langu village, but rain has slowed operations as authorities raised the confirmed death toll to 34. At least 800 rescuers, including military and police, and nine excavators have been deployed, and nearly 700 villagers have been evacuated. It remains unclear whether 23 soldiers reported killed during border patrol training are included in the updated death count, and teams are on site identifying recovered bodies.
Rain Slows Search for 32 Missing After West Java Landslide; Death Toll Rises to 34
Indonesian rescue members search for victims at the site of a landslide following heavy rains in Pasir Langu village, West Bandung regency, West Java province, Indonesia, January 27, 2026. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana
JAKARTA, Jan 28 (Reuters) — Rescue teams searching for 32 people still unaccounted for after a landslide in West Java were slowed by rain on Wednesday morning, the country's disaster mitigation agency said, as authorities raised the confirmed death toll to 34.
The landslide struck Pasir Langu village in the Bandung Barat area in the early hours of Saturday following heavy rainfall that began a day earlier. The village sits in a hilly part of West Java province, roughly 100 km southeast of Indonesia's capital, Jakarta.
Rescue Efforts Hampered by Weather
Officials said ongoing rain made conditions at the landslide site treacherous. A spokesperson for the disaster agency, Abdul Muhari, said:
“It's raining in the landslide site this morning but all the rescuers are ready to continue the search, waiting for the right timing.”At least 800 rescuers — including military and police personnel — plus nine excavators have been deployed to locate the remaining missing people.
Casualties, Evacuations and Identification
The confirmed death toll has increased to 34 from an earlier count of 20, and 23 people have been reported as survivors. The Indonesian Navy separately reported that 23 soldiers were killed while taking part in border patrol training; authorities said it was not immediately clear whether those deaths are included in the updated toll. A team at the scene is working to identify bodies recovered by rescuers.
Nearly 700 residents of the affected village have been evacuated to local government buildings, the disaster agency said. Officials cautioned that poor weather and unstable terrain continue to complicate recovery operations and the identification process.
(Reporting by Ananda Teresia; Editing by David Stanway)
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