Dede Leni Mardianti, Jakarta - A landslide disaster struck dozens of houses and threatened several others in two hamlets in Cibeunying Village, Majenang Sub-district, Cilacap Regency, Central Java, Indonesia, on Thursday night, November 13, 2025. Until last Saturday, 9 Cilacap landslide victims had been found, and 11 others were still missing.
The search for victims is still ongoing, involving 520 personnel from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the National Police (Polri), and volunteers. Here are several facts about the Cilacap landslide:
Flooding along the Citanduy River
The head of Rawaapu Village, Bambang Wiantoro, said that the flooding and landslide were caused by heavy rain that had been occurring since last weekend. The heavy rain led to an increase in the water discharge of the Citanduy River, resulting in flooding or tidal waves (rob) entering the river on the border of Central Java and West Java along the southern coastal area.
However, Bambang denied that the flood in the Citanduy River, as circulated on social media, occurred in Rawaapu's area. He assured that it was from Majingklak, Kalipucang Sub-district, Pangandaran Regency, West Java. "That's in Majingklak, near the estuary, and the embankment is small. In Rawaapu, it's still safe, not reaching residential areas or flooding the roads," he said.
Victims estimated to be buried under 8 meters of debris
It is estimated that 20 people became casualties of the Cilacap landslide. The head of the Central Java Regional Disaster Management Agency, Bergas Catursari Penanggungan, said that the joint evacuation team had difficulty searching for victims due to the extreme weather. However, from several findings, it is estimated that the victims are buried under the landslide debris at a considerable depth. "The estimated location of the objects is buried up to 8 meters deep," he said on Saturday, November 15, 2025.
9 victims dead and dozens injured
According to data from the Central Java Regional Disaster Management Agency, as of Saturday, 9 Cilacap landslide victims had been found dead and 14 others were still missing. Previously, three victims had been found dead. Two victims were found on the day of the incident, and one more was found the next day.
Area affected by Cilacap landslide reaches 6.5 hectares
The Central Java Provincial Government recorded that the area affected by the landslide in Cibeunying Village, Majenang Sub-district, Cilacap Regency, encompasses 6.5 hectares. The landslide resulted in 8 collapsed houses, 1 moderately damaged house, and 16 threatened houses.
The landslide debris also buried village roads. "Currently, we are focused on searching for the missing and buried landslide victims," said the head of the Central Java Regional Disaster Management Agency, Bergas Catursari Penanggungan. "We continue our efforts until the victims are found."
Deploying 10 excavators
Rescuers are using excavators to search for landslide victims. The Regional Disaster Management Agency deployed 10 excavators to expedite the search for landslide victims due to the vast affected area reaching 6.5 hectares with depths of up to 10 meters.
– Jamal Abdun Nashr contributed to the writing of this article.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2066077/cilacap-landslide-buries-6-5-hectares-of-land-9-people-dea