INDONESIAN MARINES AMONG 80 FEARED DEAD IN WEST JAVA LANDSLIDE. (PHOTO).

 Indonesian marines among 80 feared dead in West Java landslide

  Nineteen members of Indonesia’s elite marine corps are among 80 people reported missing after a devastating landslide tore through a mountainside in West Java province over the weekend, burying their training camp and nearby homes in mud. The disaster struck Pasir Langu village on the slopes of Mount Burangrang before dawn Saturday, engulfing 34 houses and sweeping away residents and marines alike. Rescuers have expanded the search effort from 500 to more than 2,100 personnel, using drones, excavators, water pumps, and even digging by hand.

Seventeen victims have been confirmed dead, including 11 identified, with six others still in the process of identification, according to officials. Among the deceased are four marines from a 23-member unit preparing for a long-duration border assignment on the Indonesia–Papua New Guinea frontier, Navy leadership confirmed. Authorities said continuous heavy rain over two nights triggered the slope failure, while narrow access roads and unstable terrain have made the rescue effort extremely difficult. Rescuers are contending with mud and debris up to 8 meters (26 feet) deep, stretching over a landslide area more than 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) long. Around 230 residents near the site have been evacuated to government shelters. Landslides and flooding are common in Indonesia during seasonal rains from October to April, particularly in mountainous regions and flood-prone areas.