According to CNN, the death toll from the massive landslides in Indonesia rose to 17 as of February 24, officials said. Rescue workers were also trying to find 29 people who were still missing after landslides buried some 50 homes with debris, said Priyadi Kardono, spokesman for the National Disaster Management Agency. The landslides occurred on February 23, in the province of West Java after torrential downpours. Rescuers were only able to get heavy machinery to the landslide area the following morning because roadways were clogged. Hundreds of rescue workers, the police, the army and volunteers dug frantically, some with their bare hands, trying to find survivors although some began feeling their efforts would bring grim results. “The chances of survival are zero, because this landslide is entirely mud. There will be no chance of air pockets,” said one Indonesian official. Landslides are common in Indonesia, where years of deforestation can often leave hillsides vulnerable to collapse.
