SAR Team Focuses Search on Sector A in Cisarua Landslide

Bandung: The joint Search and Rescue (SAR) team on Thursday continued efforts to locate victims of the landslide in Pasirlangu Village, Cisarua Sub-district, West Bandung District, West Java, concentrating operations in sectors A1, A2, and B2.

Basarnas Operations Director Yudhi Bramantyo N said the search entered its sixth day amid challenging conditions, with teams prioritizing personnel safety due to persistent rain, thick fog, and the risk of further landslides.

“We are continuing the search on the sixth day as in previous operations. Weather conditions remain the main challenge,” Yudhi said on Thursday, as quoted from Antara.

In addition to manual excavation, the SAR team has deployed K-9 sniffer dogs to help detect victims believed to be buried under landslide debris, particularly in high-risk zones.

Yudhi said search efforts on Wednesday were not optimal due to extreme weather, but he expressed hope that improved conditions on Thursday would allow for more effective evacuation results.

The joint SAR team has deployed at least 17 units of heavy equipment and continues to seek additional large-capacity machinery to accelerate search and recovery efforts at the site.

Meanwhile, Bandung SAR Office Head Ade Dian Permana said that as of Wednesday, January 28, a total of 53 body bags had been handed over to the National Police’s Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team, with 41 victims successfully identified.

Separately, Agung, head of the Basarnas Sector A1 team, said search operations continued despite light rain, with constant monitoring of weather conditions.

“This morning, we conducted a search involving Basarnas personnel and K-9 units. Sector A1 has been combed, but no new victims have been found. On the sixth day, we will shift our focus to Sector B1,” he said.

Agung added that all search sectors have been mapped and assessed for potential victims. “This means that not only Sector A1, but all sectors remain potential locations for victims,” he said.

The landslide struck Pasirlangu Village early Saturday, January 24, after prolonged heavy rainfall triggered soil and mud movement that buried homes and residential areas.