Saturday 28 November 2015

Landslide believed to have killed one person in West Java, Indonesia.

One person is missing and believed to be dead following a landslide that hit the Karangmukti Subdistrict at about 3.30 pm local time on Wednesday 25 November 2015. The event destroyed a commercial premises (variously described as a restaurant or drug store in local media), two cars and a motorbike. Four people were initially reported missing, but three have subsequently been found. There is thought to be little hope of recovering anyone alive from the debris at this stage.

The scene of a landslide at Karangmukti in West Java on Wednesday 25 November 2015. Istimewa.

Landslides are a common problem in Java, particularly in the rainy season, which lasts from October till April, and can result in an annual rainfall in excess of 4000 mm in parts of West Java. Landslides are a common problem after severe weather events, as excess pore water pressure can overcome cohesion in soil and sediments, allowing them to flow like liquids. Approximately 90% of all landslides are caused by heavy rainfall. This problem has been made worse in West Java as expanding populations has led to people farming higher on hillslopes, in an area where soils tend to be volcanic in action and poorly consolidated (i.e. lack much cohesion), making them more prone to landslides.
 

The approximate location of the 25 November 2015 Karangmukti landslide. Google Maps.

See also...

http://sciencythoughts.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/indonesian-airports-closed-by-volcanic.htmlIndonesian airports closed by volcanic activity on Mount Raung, East Java.                Authorities in Indonesia have been forced to close several airports in East Java and Bali following a series of eruptions on Mount Raung, an active volcano...
Four people have been confirmed dead and another nine are missing following an explosion on a...
http://sciencythoughts.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/twelve-confirmed-deaths-in-javanese.htmlTwelve confirmed deaths in Javanese landslide.
Twelve people have been confirmed dead following a landslide that hit the village of Tegal Panjang in Sukabumi District in West Java at about 10.30 pm local time on Saturday 28 March 2015. No further...


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Karangmukti subdistrict
Karangmukti subdistrict
Karangmukti subdistrict
Karangmukti subdistrict
Karangmukti subdistrict
Karangmukti subdistrict