Nineteen bodies recovered from western Java landslide as at late Feb 25

BANDUNG (Indonesia): Rescue workers at the site of the landslide that hit the Dewata tea plantation in Bandung district Tuesday have at late Feb 25 recovered 19 bodies from the landslide mud, Indonesia's Antara news agency repoted

"Up till now, we have found the bodies of 19 victims. Members of their families recognised the bodies so they could be buried fast," Kusnadi, a local security officer, said Thursday.

Kusnadi said the rescue team which consisted of personnel from the National Military, National Police, and volunteers had been working on the entire area of the landslide.

"We also have heavy tools to assist them in finding the victims. The team is now focusing its searches on several spots where it believes bodies are buried," he said.

As to the total number of people buried by the landslide, Kusnadi said the data was still changing while hundreds of survivors had been evacuated to a warehouse complex located in the tea plantation area. -- Bernama