Indonesia landslide deaths climb to 30 as search continues
Indonesian rescue members stand near damaged houses affected by a?landslide in Natuna, Riau islands province, Indonesia, March 7, 2023, in this photo taken by Antara Foto. Antara Foto/HO-Diskominfo Kabupaten Natuna/via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
JAKARTA, March 9 (Reuters) - At least 30 people have died in a landslide on a remote Indonesian island this week, a disaster agency official said on Thursday, adding that a search for missing residents was still ongoing.
Monday's landslide on Serasan island in the Indonesian region of Natuna followed six days of torrential rain and buried several houses in a village. Serasan is about 80 km (49.71 miles) off the island of Borneo.
Disaster agency chief Suharyanto said in a news conference rescuers were still searching for 24 people who remain missing.
Authorities would set up electricity poles once the road to the remote location has been fixed, he said, adding that more than 1,200 residents had been displaced and that they would be relocated to flatter areas with "little risk of disasters".
Indonesia's geophysics agency chief said in the same news conference there was still land that could potentially be dislodged should there be heavy rain in the area.
The disaster agency previously said the landslide was estimated to have been 100-200 metres (328-656 ft) long.
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Reporting by Stanley Widianto; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor
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