At least 17 people have died in Indonesia after devastating flash floods and landslides struck hilly villages in Central Java's Pekalongan regency on Monday. Eight others have been reported missing in the disaster triggered by torrential rains.
The heavy rains caused rivers to overflow on the main island of Java, flooding nine villages and sending mud, rocks, and debris cascading down the mountainsides.
At least 17 people have died in Indonesia after devastating flash floods and landslides struck hilly villages in Central Java's Pekalongan regency on Monday. Eight others have been reported missing in the disaster triggered by torrential rains.
Bergas Catursasi, head of the Pekalongan Disaster Management Agency, confirmed the death toll, stating that the worst-hit village, Petungkriyono, had seen the most fatalities.
“Rescue workers by Tuesday had pulled out at least 17 bodies in the worst-hit village of Petungkriyono, and rescuers are searching for eight villagers who are reportedly still missing. Eleven injured people managed to escape and were rushed to nearby hospitals,” he said.
The heavy rains caused rivers to overflow, flooding nine villages and sending mud, rocks, and debris cascading down the mountainsides.
“Bad weather, mudslides, and rugged terrain hampered the rescue operation,” Catursasi explained, adding that many victims had been swept away while fishing or taking shelter from the storm.
Television footage showed rescue teams—including police, soldiers, and civilian volunteers—working tirelessly with excavators, farm equipment, and their bare hands to search through the debris. Some victims were carried on bamboo stretchers or in body bags to waiting ambulances and trucks.
The disaster also destroyed critical infrastructure in the region, including two main bridges connecting villages in the district. Flash floods also washed away vehicles and swept away people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
National Disaster Management Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari noted that flash floods, landslides, and the destruction of bridges were significant challenges to the ongoing response efforts. “We are doing everything we can, but the scale of the destruction is immense,” Muhari said.
Indonesia, an archipelago of over 17,000 islands, faces frequent seasonal rains from October to March that trigger flooding and landslides, particularly in mountainous regions and near fertile floodplains.
Last month, a landslide and flash floods in Sukabumi, West Java, left 12 people dead. In November 2024, 20 people died in a landslide and flash floods in North Sumatra, while a separate landslide killed nine people in the region when it struck a tourist bus.
(With agency inputs)