LANDSLIDE IN BANJARNEGARA BURIES OVER 100 VILLAGERS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 13 (Antara) - A major landslide buried more than 100 villagers in Jumbleng hamlet, Sampang village, Banjarnegara district, Central Java, at 5.30 p. m. on Friday.          Until Sunday evening, 17 victims were found dead, while 91 others are still missing.          According to Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), rescue workers also found 11 victims who were seriously injured and four more inflicted with less severe injuries.         He added that efforts to find and evacuate victims of the disaster were halted on Saturday afternoon due to heavy rain.         The ground was unstable, the current of the river that passed through the village was very strong and carried mud, and the heavy rainfall was causing fear of another possible landslide, Nugroho stated.         "Several roads were blocked by the landslide, and several sections cracked, which were too dangerous to pass through. These posed difficulties as heavy duty equipment could not be deployed there to help in the rescue and evacuation efforts," he remarked.