T

hree family members were killed by a landslide in Bandung, West Java, following torrential rains Monday evening.

The three were identified as Rohendi, his wife Iip Sarifah and their son Muhammad Hafid Hawaf.

“They were sleeping in the same room when the landslide occurred,” local neighborhood chief Ahmad Saeni said at the scene on Tuesday.

The landslide, which continued from 9 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Sekebulu hamlet, Ciburial village, Cimenyan district, Bandung regency, caused the collapse of Rohendi’s bedroom and buried the three.

The landslide began at a cliff located west of the house.

“The soil was likely not strong enough to hold after the rain, causing it to collapse,” said Ahmad, who arrived at the scene at 9:30 p.m.

“I and other residents only arrived there after receiving information from Sofi, Rohendi’s sister, who survived the disaster.

“Rohendi was buried the deepest and his body took the longest time to retrieve,” Ahmad said, adding the evacuation process continued for around an hour.

Hafid, listed as a TK Ar Rahman Darul Ilmi kindergarten pupil, died on the way to hospital.

Cimenyan district head D. Sutardi urged the two other surviving family members to stay with their relatives. He expressed concern that the continuous rains of late could trigger more landslides.

“I have asked the village chief to evacuate the surviving family members to a safer place. We’re still in the rainy season and we are afraid of a repeat landslide,” said Sutardi after the funeral.

Meanwhile, the road connecting Tasikmalaya and Garut regencies is passable after being affected by a landslide in Tenjowaringin village in Salawu district, Tasikmalaya.

The road was reopened as of 10 p.m. on Tuesday. Tasikmalaya Traffic Police Unit chief Adj. Comr. Wadi Sabani said officers had opened the road for traffic at 8 p.m.

“But only one lane can be used,” said Wadi, adding vehicles from each direction had taken turns to pass the road.