Anwar Siswadi (Kontributor), Jakarta – A landslide triggered by heavy rainfall in Indonesia's West Java province has killed and buried dozens of residents after collapsing into a fast-moving mudflow, highlighting growing concerns over land degradation and disaster risks in one of the country's most densely populated regions.
The disaster struck Cisarua in West Bandung Regency early Saturday, affecting the villages of Pasir Kuning and Pasir Langu.
According to Indonesia's National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), the incident was not a typical landslide but a mudflow, in which saturated soil loses its strength and flows downhill like liquid.
"This type of landslide typically occurs on steep slopes with valley formations, where the soil has low cohesion and high porosity," said Adrin Tohari, head of BRIN's Disaster Research Center, on Sunday, January 25, 2026.
He explained that prolonged or intense rainfall causes the soil to become fully saturated, stripping it of its binding force.
How did land use and degradation worsen the impact?
Land use in the affected area also contributed to the disaster. The slopes are dominated by agricultural plantations, particularly vegetable farming.
"Plantation soil is usually loose, making it more susceptible to water saturation," Adrin said.
Environmental experts have long warned that extensive land degradation in North Bandung has increased the region's vulnerability to landslides.
Taufan Suranto, a member of the Forestry and Environmental Observer Council of the Sundanese Land (DPKLTS), said Pasir Langu Village contains one of the largest concentrations of critically degraded land in the region.
According to Indonesia's Ministry of Environment and Forestry data from 2018, around 745 hectares (or 70 percent) of Pasir Langu's 1,065-hectare area is classified as critically degraded.
Across North Bandung, a total of 19,302 hectares (about half of the region's total land area) are considered critically endangered.
The landslide occurred at around 02:30 AM local time, according to the Bandung Search and Rescue (SAR) Office. By Sunday evening, rescue teams had evacuated one survivor and recovered four bodies, along with two body parts that were still undergoing identification.
Authorities reported that as of the first day of search and rescue operations, 23 people had survived, nine had been confirmed dead, and approximately 80 others remained missing. Rescue efforts have been hampered by heavy rain and difficult terrain, slowing access to the affected area.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2082786/how-did-a-landslide-in-west-bandung-turn-into-a-deadly-mudflo