Indonesian rescuers search for victims at the site of a landslide after heavy rains in Pasir Langu village, West Bandung Regency, West Java Province, Indonesia, on January 27, 2026. Image Credit: Reuters
Number of deaths a A week ago, a landslide hit Indonesia’s main island of Java On Saturday (January 31, 2026) the number rose to 53, with 10 people still missing, a defense official said.
Heavy rains hit the village of Pasirlangu, southeast of the capital Jakarta, causing landslides, damaging more than 50 houses and displacing around 650 people.
Thousands of rescuers, aided by the military, police and volunteers, are digging through mud to find victims.
Local search and rescue agency chief Ade Dion Permana said they had recovered and identified 53 bodies as of Saturday (Jan 31), up from 44 earlier.
At least 10 people are still missing, but clear weather is helping the search, he said.
Among those caught in the landslide were 23 personnel undergoing training in the area, the Indonesian navy said. Search and rescue operations in the West Bandung region have been extended until Friday (January 30, 2026).
The government has pointed to the role of forest loss in last year’s floods and landslides on the island of Sumatra that killed nearly 1,200 people and displaced more than 240,000.
Forests help absorb rain and stabilize the ground held by their roots, and their absence makes areas more prone to landslides.
Such disasters are common throughout the vast Indonesian archipelago during the rainy season, which usually runs from October to March.
Torrential rains lashed the Indonesian island of Siau this month, causing flash floods that killed at least 16 people.
Published – January 31, 2026 07:11 pm IST
