Central Java Landslides: Death Toll Reaches 30, Search Continues for 21 Missing

Tragedy Strikes Central Java

The death toll from recent landslides in Indonesia's Central Java province has tragically risen to 30, with 21 people still missing as extensive rescue operations continue. The disasters, triggered by torrential rainfall, have severely impacted the Cilacap and Banjarnegara regions.

According to Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency (BNPB), the landslides struck Cilacap last week and Banjarnegara over the weekend. Specifically, a landslide hit Cibeunying village in the Majenang district of Cilacap on Thursday, November 13, 2025, while another occurred in Pandanarum village, Banjarnegara, on Saturday, November 15, 2025.

Intensified Rescue Efforts Face Obstacles

Rescue teams, comprising at least 700 personnel from the police and military, are working tirelessly to locate the missing. They are utilizing heavy equipment, including excavators, and sniffer dogs in their search. However, operations are hampered by significant challenges, including 'landslide ponds filled with debris and continuously flowing waters,' which also pose a risk of new landslides due to ongoing rains.

In Cilacap, authorities have extended search operations until next week. Air Marshal Mohammad Syafii, Chief of the National Search and Rescue Agency, affirmed the commitment to finding the remaining victims, stating, 'we are making every effort to find the three victims who are still being searched for.'

Impact and Casualties Breakdown

The landslides have caused widespread devastation, damaging dozens of houses and displacing hundreds of residents. A breakdown of the casualties and impact reveals:

• In Cilacap, 20 fatalities have been confirmed, with 3 individuals still missing. The disaster led to 8 collapsed houses, 1 moderately damaged house, and 16 threatened houses in Cibeunying village. Nearly 400 residents have been evacuated from the area.
• In Banjarnegara, 10 people have died, and 18 remain missing. More than 900 residents were evacuated, and dozens of houses were damaged, with 30 heavily damaged in Pandanarum village.

Seven people have also sustained injuries across the affected regions. Victims are estimated to be buried under landslide debris at depths ranging from 3 to 8 meters, making recovery efforts particularly arduous.

Indonesia's wet season, which began in September and is expected to last until April, increases the risk of such hydrometeorological disasters, including floods and extreme rainfall.