Indonesia landslides kill at least two, leave dozens missing

Rescue workers search for victims near a collapsed house following landslides at Cisolok district in Sukabumi, West Java province, Indonesia, January 1, 2019. Antara Foto/M Agung Rajasa/via REUTERS

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Landslides on Indonesia’s heavily populated island of Java killed at least two people and left 41 missing, an official at the country’s disaster agency said on Tuesday.

The landslides, which struck a village in West Java on Monday, also injured 2 people and buried thirty homes, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for Indonesia’s disaster agency said in a statement.

"Rugged rocky roads and the rainy weather is making it difficult for our team to conduct evacuation operations," Nugroho said, adding that heavy equipment was needed to help search for survivors.

Search and rescue teams are seen during a search effort to find victims from the landslide in Sukabumi, West Java Province, Indonesia January 1, 2019 in this picture obtained from social media. SEKOLAH RELAWAN/via REUTERS

(Reporting by Fanny Potkin; Editing by Neil Fullick)

Search and rescue teams gather for a briefing during a search effort to find victims from the landslide in Sukabumi, West Java Province, Indonesia January 1, 2019 in this picture obtained from social media. SEKOLAH RELAWAN/via REUTERS

Residents carry their belongings following landslides at Cisolok district in Sukabumi, West Java province, Indonesia, January 1, 2019. Antara Foto/M Agung Rajasa/via REUTERS

Search and rescue teams gather for a briefing during a search effort to find victims from the landslide in Sukabumi, West Java Province, Indonesia January 1, 2019 in this picture obtained from social media. SEKOLAH RELAWAN/via REUTERS