Landslide in Sumedang
© BNPDLandslide in Sumedang
Indonesia's National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB) have reported that the death toll from devastating floods and landslides in West Java province, Indonesia has now risen to 26. At least 19 people are still missing.

The flood water in Garut has receded revealing the extent of the destruction. Photos showed houses reduced to rubble and upturned cars strewn across streets covered in mud and flood debris. At least 23 people have died in the Garut floods, with 18 still missing. The search continues for the missing.

Over 400 people remain homeless in Garut as a result of the floods
and temporary shelter has been provided by BNPD.

Three people died and one is missing after the landslide in Sumedang regency.




Original report, 21 September, 2016

Deadly landslides and flash floods have struck communities in West Java province, Indonesia.

An official from the Indonesia's National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB) said that a period of heavy rain that began during the evening of 20 September triggered the landslides and floods in the regencies of Garut and Sumedang.

Landslide in Sumedang

At least 2 people died in a landslide that struck late on on Tuesday 20 September in Cimareme, Sumedang. Two houses were completely buried by the slide. BNPD say that a further two people are still missing and emergency teams are carrying out search operations (update: some officials are reporting that the body of one of the missing has been found, bringing the death toll to 3, with one person still missing).

Earlier this week, BNPD reported that it is continuing to develop a network of landslide early warning systems (LEWS). As many as 72 LEWS have been added since 2014. There have been 349 landslides in Indonesia this year. As many as 130 people have died, 63 were injured, and almost 20,000 evacuated.

Floods in Garut.
© BNPDFloods in Garut.
Flash floods in Garut

The heavy rain on Tuesday also caused flooding in the villages of Bayongbong, Tarogong Kidul, Tarogong Kaler, Banyuresmi, Karangpawitan in Garut Regency.

According to BNPD, the Cimanuk and Cikamuri rivers overflowed in the early hours of 21 September, leaving the villages under floodwater up to 2 metres deep.

Earlier today BNPD reported that at least 8 people have died. This figure has since been revised and officials now report that 16 bodies have been found.

Around 30 people suffered injuries and the flooding forced around 1,000 people to evacuate their homes.


BNPD say that personnel from the police, disaster agencies and local volunteers are carrying out search and rescue operations in the area. The flood water has since receded.

Warnings

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) had warned on Monday that heavy rain would occur in several areas of the contry, including Java, Sumatra, Bali and Nusa Tenggara.

BNPD asked people to be alert for flood and landslides after warning that La Nina and warmer sea surface temperatures around Indonesia threaten to bring increased rainfall over the coming months.