Indonesian rescuers focus on site of landslide as quake toll increases

Indonesian rescuers have narrowed their focus to the site of a landslide where dozens of people were believed trapped after an earthquake killed at least 272, more than a third of them children.

Many of the more than 1,000 rescuers were using diggers and sniffer dogs as well as their bare hands to search the worst-hit area of Cijendil village in the mountainous Cianjur district, where a landslide set off by Monday’s quake left tonnes of debris in the form of mud, rocks and splintered trees.

National Disaster Mitigation Agency chief Suharyanto said the rescuers are planning to use more heavy equipment to search the landslide after using maximum human power.

Rescue efforts were temporarily suspended on Wednesday as heavy monsoon rains fell.

Indonesian president Joko Widodo visited

Cianjur yesterday and said rescuers will focus on one location where 39 people are missing.

“The search process will be our priority for now,” Mr Widodo said.

“The soil is unstable, so you need to be careful,” he warned.

He said distribution of relief supplies has been difficult because the injured and displaced are

spread out and hard to reach.

On Wednesday, searchers rescued a sixyear-old boy who was trapped for two days under his collapsed house.

Data from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency showed that 100 of the 272 confirmed deaths were children.

Monday’s quake was at magnitude 5.6.

Villagers wait for aid supplies near quake-hit houses.