Search For Missing Persons Underway As 8 Bodies Recovered After Landslides Hit Western Indonesia

Rescuers have discovered eight bodies and have been searching for missing persons after landslides hit North Sumatra province of western Indonesia, head of provincial disaster management agency Riadil Lubis said on Saturday.

JAKARTA, Dec. 15 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Dec, 2018 ) :Rescuers have discovered eight bodies and have been searching for missing persons after landslides hit North Sumatra province of western Indonesia, head of provincial disaster management agency Riadil Lubis said on Saturday.

Heavy downpours triggered soils in a hill slid down and hit four houses in Holado village of Toba Samosir district, Lubis told Xinhua via telephone from the province.

"The soil buried and brought the houses downward into a ravine," he said.

A total of eight corpses, who had been buried by the soils, have been pulled by the rescuers, and search for two missing villagers is being undertaking now, involving soldiers, police, search and rescue personnel, and disaster management agency as well as volunteers.

"The focus of the search operation is to find the missing persons in the area of the ravine. Some small heavy equipment, which can reach and operate at the site, will be deployed into the spot," said Lubis.

A total of five people survived the natural disaster and sustained injuries, he said.

Indonesia is frequently stricken by landslides and floods during heavy rains.