Four more bodies were recovered from the site, bringing the confirmed number of deaths to 64, local media reported on Saturday, while around 16 people are still unaccounted for, said Ade Dian Permana, head of the Bandung Search and Rescue Agency.
He added that the search operation continued on the eighth day, using tracker dogs and heavy equipment, with some 3,675 personnel deployed.
So far, 49 bodies have been identified and handed over to their families, and 75 people have been safely rescued.
The landslide struck a village in West Bandung regency last Saturday, burying dozens of homes under mud and debris.
Search and rescue efforts are ongoing in the affected area, which is marked by difficult terrain.
Sadly, Indonesia is known for deadly landslides with several prominent examples having afflicted the country in recent times.
Indonesia sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” meaning it has steep volcanic mountains and rugged terrain. Volcanic soil can be fertile but unstable, especially on steep slopes.
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The country has intense monsoon seasons and frequent tropical downpours. Prolonged rain saturates the soil, making slopes much more likely to collapse.
In some areas, trees are cleared for farming, plantations, or housing. Without deep roots to stabilise the soil, hillsides become more vulnerable to sliding.
Java, in particular, is densely populated. Many communities live on or near steep slopes, so when landslides happen, they can be deadly.
Landslides occur almost every year, especially during the rainy season, roughly November–March, and some events have caused dozens or even hundreds of deaths.
