Death toll from Indonesia’s Central Java landslides rises to 30

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JAKARTA (Reuters) -The death toll from landslides in two regions of Indonesia’s Central Java rose to 30 as rescue efforts continued, the country’s disaster mitigation agency said on Friday.

Some 21 people remain missing after landslides triggered by torrential rain struck the city of Cilacap last week and the Banjarnegara region over the weekend, the agency said.

Rescuers found 7 more bodies in Banjarnegara, the worst-affected area, on Thursday, bringing the death toll to 10 with 18 still missing, Abdul Muhari, the agency’s spokesperson said in a statement late on Thursday.

Dozens of houses were damaged, seven people injured, and more than 900 residents evacuated following the landslide there, Muhari said.

At least 700 rescuers including police and military personnel continue to look for the missing, using excavators to speed up the search, he added.

“We face several obstacles in the search, particularly with landslide ponds filled with debris and continuously flowing waters also risks new landslides due to rains,” Muhari said.

In Cilacap, rescuers found four more bodies this week bringing the death toll to 20 with three people still missing, Muhari said.

Authorities have extended search operations there until next week, and nearly 400 residents have been evacuated.

Indonesia’s wet season started in September and will continue until April, according to the weather agency, raising the risk of floods and extreme rainfall in many areas.

(Reporting by Ananda Teresia; Editing by Kate Mayberry)