Deadly Indonesian landslide leaves dozens missing
January 26, 2026
The death toll from a massive landslide that hit a residential area in the Bandung Barat region of Indonesia's West Java province rose to 17 on Monday, the country's disaster mitigation agency said.
It said dozens were still missing following Saturday's disaster, which was triggered by heavy rains.
What else do we know about the landslide?
The landslide struck the village of Pasir Langu, which is situated in a hilly area about 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of Indonesia's capital, Jakarta.
The masses of soil and debris that descended on the village severely damaged more than 50 houses and forced more than 650 people to leave their homes, officials said.
Local officials have said 73 people are still missing.
Indonesia's navy chief, Muhammad Ali, said that 23 navy officers taking part in border control training were among those trapped by the landslide and that while some bodies had been found, others were still missing.
He said bad weather was preventing heavy equipment from reaching the area.
Prone to floods and landslides
Floods and landslides are common events across the Indonesian archipelago during the rainy season, which normally lasts from October to March.
West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi blamed Saturday's disaster on deforestation of the surrounding area to free land for plantations, mostly used to grow vegetables.
"This area should be forested. Local residents should be relocated because the potential for landslide is high," Dedi said in a statement Saturday.
The Indonesian government has also highlighted forest loss as a major factor behind the destruction caused by flooding and landslides on Sumatra island last year, in which some 1,200 people were killed and more than a million displacd.
It has filed a number of lawsuits following those floods and sought millions in damages from six companies, while last week taking back more than two dozen permits from forestry, mining and hydroelectric firms operating in Sumatra.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery