A landslide in Pasirlangu Village, West Bandung Regency, West Java, remains unresolved as dozens of residents are still reported missing. The disaster occurred early Saturday morning, 24 January 2026, after days of continuous rainfall in the area.
Soil and rock debris from the hillside buried dozens of houses and damaged residential areas. Several access roads were also cut off, delaying initial evacuation and rescue efforts. Authorities have yet to declare the situation fully under control as unstable soil conditions persist.
A joint search and rescue (SAR) team involving the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Indonesian National Police (Polri), the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), volunteers, and local residents continues to search the affected area.
Teams are using both manual methods and heavy equipment while remaining alert to the risk of additional landslides.
The West Java Provincial Government stated that it is monitoring developments closely and ensuring logistical support, equipment, and essential services for affected families.
K9 Units Deployed to Support Search Operations
To accelerate the search for victims, the Indonesian National Police deployed its K9 Detachment from the SAR Unit of the Directorate of Animal Police (Ditpolsatwa), under the Sabhara Corps of the National Police (Baharkam Polri).
The K9 SAR unit deployed 20 personnel led by Inspector Erasmus, Head of the K9 Team, along with six trained dogs: Walet, Ari, Rubin, Dasa, Gyra, and Sita. All are specialised in locating disaster victims.
Head of Public Relations for the West Java Regional Police, Senior Commissioner Hendra Rochmawan, said the deployment reflects the police’s commitment to humanitarian operations.
“The deployment of the K9 SAR Detachment demonstrates the seriousness and commitment of the National Police in their humanitarian mission,” he said, as quoted by Kompas.
He added that all available resources are being mobilised to support the search while ensuring public information remains accurate.
“We are deploying all our resources maximally, quickly, and measurably to ensure the search for victims is effective, while ensuring that the information provided to the public is accurate and accountable,” he said.
According to official data from the Main Command Post and the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) Post, as of Sunday, 25 January 2026, at 4:35 p.m. WIB, authorities had received 105 missing person reports. The joint SAR team had recovered 25 body bags, including three newly recovered intact bodies.
Of the recovered victims, 11 have been identified, consisting of 10 intact bodies and one body part.
Heavy Rain Forecast Raises Safety Concerns
The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) warned that West Bandung and surrounding areas are currently experiencing the peak of the rainy season. Heavy rainfall is expected to continue for at least another week.
Head of the Bandung BMKG Station, Teguh Rahayu, said the weather conditions pose challenges for evacuation and disaster response efforts.
“Currently, the rainy season is at its peak, and we estimate that heavy rain will continue for about another week,” he said on Sunday, 26 January 2026, as reported by Republika.
He said BMKG continues to monitor weather developments closely to support the safety of field personnel.
“The weather forecast is being monitored regularly and serves as a reference for evacuations and the activities of officers in the field, ensuring safety is prioritised,” he said.
BMKG has also carried out weather modification efforts at Husein Sastranegara Airport to reduce rainfall intensity.
“We have implemented weather modification as part of our risk reduction efforts, especially in disaster-prone areas,” he said.
BMKG urged the public and responders to remain alert to updated weather information, noting that saturated soil conditions increase the risk of further landslides.
Meanwhile, the West Java Regional Police reported that 16 body bags had been recovered as of 12:00 p.m. WIB. Authorities estimate that around 80 victims are still missing. More than 30 homes belonging to 34 families were damaged, and between 300 and 400 residents have been displaced.
