Search intensifies for Indonesian landslide victims

By Budi Satriawan

MOGOL, Indonesia (Reuters) - Indonesian rescuers intensified efforts on Friday to search for people still believed to be buried under thick mud after landslides on Java island that left nearly 100 people dead or missing.

Thousands of people have been made homeless across Java this week after houses were submerged by floods or buried by landslides triggered by days of heavy rains that have hampered rescue operations.

Rescuers managed to bring in a small excavator after using only hoes, spades and sometimes even their bare hands to dig out the mud and pull out buried victims in Tawangmangu, an area in Central Java province worst hit by the landslides.

So far, 50 bodies have been exhumed while 17 are still missing in the area, rescue officials said.

About 20 others were killed or missing in other districts, officials said.

In neighbouring East Java province, police said only two people were missing after floods swept away a bridge over an overflowing river in Madiun district, after initial reports had estimated 40 people were feared dead.

"We found eight motorcycles and five bicycles after searching the river but they have all been claimed by the owners," Andi Hartoyo, the local police chief, told Reuters.

He also said two children drowned in floods in Madiun.