JAKARTA: Rescuers used their bare hands to search for victims buried beneath tons of mud after a landslide Thursday on the Indonesian island of Java wiped out rice paddies, killing at least five people.
National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said 15 people are missing based on reports from local residents.
Some 14 others from the affected hamlet in Central Java's Brebes district were hospitalised with injuries.
Hundreds of people including villagers and soldiers were using their bare hands and farming tools to search for victims buried beneath the debris, he said.
Mr Sutopo said the search and rescue team was having difficulty finding victims because of the muddy conditions and width of the landslide. "Heavy equipment cannot be used to search for victims,'' he said.
Local disaster official Eko Andalas said the landslide, which started in surrounding hills that are part of a forestry plantation, was triggered by torrential rains. He said villagers were afraid to return to their homes.
Disaster officials urged people to stay away from the area because of the risk of further landslides.
Seasonal rains cause widespread flooding and landslides across much of Indonesia. Millions of people live in mountainous regions and on flood plains.