CISARUA (AFP)
The death toll in a massive Indonesian landslide rose to 17 on Monday as rescuers used heavy equipment to search for dozens still missing days after heavy rain unleashed a torrent of mud.
People gathered near the site in Java's West Bandung region, desperately awaiting news of their loved ones as rescuers, who fear another landslide, scoured the unstable area.
The flow of soil and debris barrelled through the village of Pasirlangu early on Saturday, burying residential areas and forcing dozens to evacuate their homes.
"It's impossible that they are still alive. I just want their bodies to be found," said Aep Saepudin, who has been coming to the village daily for updates about his 11 family members, including his sister, who are missing.
"My heart aches. I feel so sad seeing my older sister like that (buried by the landslide)," he told AFP.
Abdul Muhari, a spokesman for the national disaster agency, confirmed on Monday that at least 17 people were killed.
The number of people missing was later revised down to around 46 from an earlier
figure of 73, local search and rescue head Ade Dian Permana told a news conference.
"This is based on the report from the village head," Ade said.
He also said rescuers had handed over nine body bags to authorities for identification.
Indonesia's military said on Monday that four Marines were among those confirmed dead and 19 remained missing.
The Marines had been training before a deployment to Indonesia's border with Papua New Guinea, the navy's chief of staff Muhammad Ali told local media.
More than 50 houses were severely damaged by the landslide, which also displaced more than 650 people, according to the local disaster agency.
Dozens of rescuers were searching at the foot of Mount Burangrang under dark rain clouds on Monday, an AFP reporter saw.
They dug manually and used heavy equipment, but said they had to tread carefully for fear of another landslide due to the unstable ground and bad weather.
"What we worry about most is the risk of subsequent (landslides). Sometimes when we're in the operation, we aren't focusing on the slopes that still have the potential for landslides," rescuer Rifaldi Ashabi, 25, told AFP.