West Bandung Landslide, SAR Team Finds Three Other Victims

The fourth day of searching at the West Bandung landslide location found three bodies.

DOKUMENTASI SAR BANDUNG

The second day of search efforts at the landslide site in Kampung Gintung, Cibenda Village, Cipongkor District, West Bandung Regency, West Java, on Tuesday (26/3/2024). On the second day of the search, the joint SAR team found four bodies of residents at the location.

BANDUNG, KOMPAS - The combined SAR team found three victims on the fourth day of searching at the disaster location landslide in Gintung Village, Cibenda Village, Cipongkor District, West Bandung District, West Java, Thursday (28/3 /2024). With this discovery, a total of eight victims have been found.

"The victims found on Thursday were two females and one male. Based on their physical features, two were adults and one was a child," said the Head of Bandung SAR Operation and Alert Section, Supriono.

The three victims were immediately taken to the Cililin Regional General Hospital (RSUD), West Bandung. The aim is to be identified by the West Java Regional Police's Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team and the Cimahi Police Inafis team.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

An aerial photo of the joint SAR team searching for the missing victims of a landslide in Gintung Village, Cibenda Village, Cipongkor District, West Bandung Regency, West Java, on Tuesday (26/3/2024).

Previously reported, there were 10 residents who were buried in a landslide in Gintung Village. The identities of the 10 residents are Encep (60), Dadi (55), Eras (53), Aam (50), Opin (45), Lastri (32), Sifa (9), Diki Saputra (4), Nabila Destiani (4), and Aji (2).

"From the identification results of the DVI team at Cililin Hospital, the three victims found on Thursday were Eras (50), Dadi (59), and Nabila (5)," said Supriono.

Also read: West Bandung Emergency Response, Seven Landslide Victims Not Yet Found

With the discovery of the three victims, the total number of landslide victims in Gintung Village found so far has reached eight. Therefore, there are still two people missing from the landslide in the village.

Supriono added that the process of searching for victims who are still buried in the landslide had to be temporarily stopped on Thursday at 2:30 PM. This is because of the rain that hit the landslide location.

The search effort involved more than 200 personnel from the joint team of the Indonesian National Police, SAR Bandung, West Java Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), and West Bandung BPBD.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Sutisna cried over the loss of his family members who died buried in a landslide in Kampung Gintung, Cibenda Village, Cipongkor District, West Bandung Regency, West Java, on Tuesday (26/3/2024). Three members of Sutisna's family died, namely Dadi (his father), Eras (his mother), and Nabila (his niece's child).

The landslide disaster was triggered by heavy rain for two hours on Sunday (24/3/2024). The rain occurred from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Based on preliminary data collection, the landslide in Gintung Village resulted in 32 injuries and 10 people buried. In addition, 30 houses suffered severe to minor damage, and 2 schools and 2 mosques were affected.

Also read: Extreme Weather Still Continues in Indonesia

The victims found on Thursday were two women and one man.

A total of 527 residents have evacuated as a result of landslides in Gintung Village. They evacuated to Padakati State Elementary School and the Cibenda Village Sports Hall.

In addition to Kampung Gintung, landslides also occurred in the Rongga District, West Bandung. As a result of this disaster, one person was buried in the landslide. A total of 1,083 residents were displaced and 220 houses in five villages were damaged.

KOMPAS/MACHRADIN WAHYUDI RITONGA

The Head of the National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB), General Suharyanto, provided guidance in handling landslides in Cibenda Village, Cipongkor District, West Bandung Regency, West Java on Wednesday, March 27, 2024.

Soil study

The Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Lieutenant General TNI Suharyanto, stated that the landslide incident in West Bandung also affected residents' homes. Based on data collection, there are 30 houses that were damaged and buried by the landslide.

Suharyanto stated that BNPB has coordinated with the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG) and related agencies to conduct a study on the condition of the soil structure inhabited by residents.

"The land preparation and community data collection process is currently underway, and I have instructed for it to be expedited so that the handling can be more optimal," said Suharyanto in a written statement from BNPB.

He added that BNPB has provided readily available funds for emergency handling operations at affected locations amounting to IDR 550 million. "BNPB also provided assistance in the form of 30 tents, 300 mattresses, 300 blankets, 100 foldable beds, and 300 grocery packages," he said.