Indonesian landslide toll rises to 25
Indonesian rescuers paused search efforts at a landslide because of bad weather, as the death toll rose to at least 25 people.
That toll increased from 17, when torrential rain in the city of Pekalongan in Central Java province triggered the landslide.
Hundreds of rescuers were deployed to the area.
Rescuers were seen spraying water to clear debris and unearthing items such as motorcycles buried in mud.
Intense rainfall in a mountainous area near Pekalongan city in Central Java province triggered the landslide, collapsing bridges and burying cars and houses.
"Overall, the victims who were found dead were 25 people, with a note that two people are still unidentified," Budiono, head of the search and rescue agency from nearby Semarang, said.
If those two victims are among the list of missing people, there would be only one more person left to find, he said.
Bad weather was hampering search efforts, with the operation suspended on Friday afternoon to ensure the safety of rescue teams as rain and fog descended on the area.
The rescue operation is set to resume, Budiono said, with rescuers focusing their search around a cafe where the victims are thought to have been buried as they sought shelter from the rain.
At least 13 people were also injured in the landslide, according to the national search and rescue agency Basarnas.
Indonesia is prone to landslides during the rainy season, typically between November and April, but some disasters caused by adverse weather have taken place outside that season in recent years.
Climate change has also increased the intensity of storms, leading to heavier rains, flash floods and stronger gusts.
In May, at least 67 people died after heavy rains caused flash floods in West Sumatra, pushing a mixture of ash, sand, and pebbles from the eruption of Mount Marapi into residential areas.
