Indonesia: One dead, two missing in Central Java landslide

Ganug Nugroho Adi The Jakarta Post 30 Nov 16;

A landslide hit eight residents working on farmland in Karanganyar regency, Central Java, on Tuesday afternoon, killing one and leaving two others missing.

The residents were harvesting rice when the landslide in Tegalsari hamlet, Buluhrejo village, occurred at 5 p.m.

“The landslide happened very fast. I and four others working on the road could escape while three others were working near the [collapsed] cliff,” Paiman, one of the survivors, said on Wednesday.

As of Wednesday, a search and rescue team was still searching for the two missing villagers.

Karanganyar Disaster Mitigation Agency head Nugroho called on residents to be alert, saying land in the area was unstable.

“We expect that the landslide was caused by heavy rain that poured over the area on the previous day,” Nugroho said.

Disasters such as floods and landslides could occur in several areas, including Jaten, Gondangrejo and Karanganyar city, he added. (jun)

Schools closed as floods inundate Riau
The Jakarta Post 30 Nov 16;

Heavy rainfall over the past two days has caused flooding in Selat Panjang in Meranti Islands, Riau, prompting the temporary closure of schools in the area.

Acting Meranti Islands regency disaster management head M. Edy Afrizal said on Tuesday the inundation occurred in several streets, disrupting activities in the coastal city.

“The flooding may get worse with a tidal wave,” he said.

Students have been told to stay home until Thursday.

The Pekanbaru office of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG Pekanbaru) predicted that November would be the peak of the rainy season in the province.