• Landslides in Central Java have led to at least 18 fatalities.
• Search and rescue operations are ongoing for dozens of missing individuals.
• Authorities warn of more heavy rain and potential for further landslides.

Recent torrential rain has triggered deadly landslides in Central Java, Indonesia, resulting in at least 18 confirmed deaths with dozens more reported missing across the province. The disaster mitigation agency confirmed that the majority of the fatalities occurred in Cilacap, where a landslide buried a dozen houses in the Cibeunying village, with victims trapped 3 to 8 meters (10 to 25 feet) deep under debris. A total of 16 individuals were confirmed deceased in Cilacap, with seven others unaccounted for, according to Reuters and The Jakarta Post.

In addition to the Cilacap landslide, two more incidents in Banjarnegara resulted in two fatalities and left 27 individuals missing. Reports indicate that up to 30 houses and several farms have been affected. Search and rescue efforts are impeded by challenging conditions, leading authorities to deploy excavators for the recovery operations, as noted by Channel News Asia and Al Jazeera.

The ongoing crises have raised alarms about the frequency and intensity of such events, particularly during Southeast Asia's monsoon season, which spans from November to April. National weather services anticipate continuing heavy rainfall, exacerbating the risks of further landslides and flooding, with Deputy Chief of the Disaster Mitigation Agency, M Abdullah, highlighting the increased vulnerability due to climate change impacting storm patterns, as reported by Reuters, The Jakarta Post, Channel News Asia, and Al Jazeera.