Landslides in Banjarnegara and Cilacap, 34 People Still Missing

MALANG, KOMPAS - A joint team is still working to search for victims reported missing in landslides at two different locations in Banjarnegara and Cilacap, Central Java. High rainfall is one of the triggers of the disaster, in addition to other factors such as soil conditions.

In Banjarnegara, a landslide occurred in Pandanarum Village, Pandanarum District, on Saturday (15/11/2025) afternoon, followed by a major landslide on Sunday (16/11). Meanwhile, in Cilacap, a landslide struck Cibeunying Village, Majenang District, on Thursday (13/11/2025) night.

The Head of the Data, Information, and Disaster Communication Center of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Abdul Muhari, in a press statement on Monday (17/11/2025), explained that his agency received reports from the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Banjarnegara indicating that there are 27 residents whose fates remain unknown.

"It is reported that 27 individuals have not been contacted; we certainly hope that the village meetings, sub-districts, village supervisory non-commissioned officers, and community security and order officers can confirm this soon. The hope is that these 27 individuals are not victims, but have evacuated independently or are not at the location," he stated.

Two people have been reported dead, two injured, and 823 individuals displaced due to a landslide in Banjarnegara. The evacuation centers are concentrated in three locations: the Pandanarum Subdistrict Office, the Beji Village Sports Hall, and the Hajj Building in Pringamba Village.

According to Muhari, preliminary data indicates that 30 houses were severely damaged in the incident in Banjarnegara. The BNPB team is currently conducting mapping using drones and comparing it with satellite data to identify the affected areas in greater detail.

One of the residents of Madukara District, Banjarnegara Regency, Dwi Lestari (45), when contacted separately, stated that the rainfall in her area has been quite high in recent days.

Heavy rain typically falls between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM WIB, then gradually subsides. However, a few hours later, it rains again and continues to do so until morning. "It seems to be scheduled to start around 2:00 PM, heavy rain followed by clear skies. Then it rains again, and it clears up again. This continues until morning," he said.

However, the rainfall in each region of Banjarnegara varies. The timing of rain in the city is different from that in higher elevations, such as in Pandanarum. According to Dwi, rainfall has started to increase since September 2025. Throughout the dry season (wet dry season), there is still rain, but the frequency is not very often.

Meanwhile, as of the fifth day after the disaster, a joint search and rescue (SAR) team continues to search for and evacuate victims believed to still be buried in the landslide in Cilacap. The total number of fatalities is 16. As of Monday afternoon (November 17, 2025), seven victims were still missing.

According to Muhari, the operation coordinated by the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) commenced at 07:00 WIB. The joint team involved approximately 520 personnel, including those from Basarnas, BNPB, the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the military, the police, volunteers, and search and rescue potentials. The support of 22 heavy equipment units and 18 tracking dogs is expected to assist in accelerating the search efforts.

During the four days of searching, the team was hindered by weather conditions. Heavy rain forced the search and rescue team to consider the safety of personnel. The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) conducted weather modification operations with up to four sorties on Sunday (16/11/2025). As a result, the weather on Monday morning at the search location was clear, allowing for more optimal search efforts.

The number of residents temporarily displaced is recorded at 106 individuals, with details showing 56 individuals at the Cibeunying Village Hall and 50 individuals at Mts Cibeunying. The Cilacap BPBD and BNPB ensure that the basic needs of the evacuees are met through communal kitchens.

In addition to the loss of life, there are 16 houses recorded as severely damaged, with details showing 8 units in Cibuyut Hamlet and 8 units in Tarukahan. Meanwhile, 16 other houses are threatened by land movement.

According to Muhari, new cracks have also been detected near the "crown" of the landslide, necessitating the relocation of residents, not only those whose homes have been damaged but also other houses that are at risk of being affected. The length of the landslide area in Cilacap extends approximately 900 meters with a height difference of 100 meters.

The Central Java Provincial Government has prepared 3.5 hectares of land. The Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) discussed this issue with the community.

"Because it is not too many, less than 50 units, it usually takes two months to complete. However, during the waiting phase, the community will be given the option of waiting funds for housing so that they can rent a house for Rp 600,000 per month per family, until they occupy the new location," he said.

Muhari reminded the public to pay attention to the conditions of rain and the surrounding environment. There are several indications before a landslide occurs, such as the presence of soil cracks and the position of trees around the house, particularly if any are leaning as a sign that a landslide may be imminent.

In general, the weather conditions in Indonesia have shown significant cloud exposure in Central Java and the southern part of West Java over the past week. Meanwhile, based on the weather forecast for the third decade of November, several regions such as West Sumatra, West Java, Central Java, North Sumatra, Banten, Aceh, South Sulawesi, Aceh, and North Sumatra still have the potential for heavy rainfall.

"For the upcoming week, there are still several regional phenomena in Indonesia, such as Kelvin waves and Rossby waves, which usually trigger an increase in rainfall from heavy to extreme," he said. Muhari mentioned that vigilance must continue until March 2026 as we are currently at the beginning of the rainy season.

When contacted separately, the forecaster from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Ahmad Yani Meteorological Station in Semarang, Gempita Icky Dzikrillah, stated that, in general, over the past week, the southwestern region of Central Java and the central mountainous area have experienced rain with varying intensities from light to heavy. The Majenang area in Cilacap Regency has generally been observed to have significant rainfall in the last 7 days.

High rainfall, according to Icky, can be one of the causes of landslides. However, rain is often not the only factor. High rainfall can trigger landslides because the water that seeps in saturates the soil, making it heavier and reducing its stability, while also causing erosion on the slopes.

"The risk increases if the rain lasts for a long time and the slope conditions were already weak beforehand. In such situations, rain becomes the main trigger for landslides. However, landslides are also influenced by steep slope conditions, types of soil or rock that are easily weathered, as well as land degradation due to human activities," he said.

Vibrations and the presence of cracks or weak planes in the rock, according to him, can also trigger land movement, making the slopes increasingly vulnerable during rainfall.

How long will the rainfall increase? Icky explained that the rainfall will increase until it reaches the peak of the rainy season. The peak of the rainy season varies in each region. In Central Java, the variation in peak rainfall occurs from November 2025 to February 2026.

When asked about the two active tropical cyclone seeds in the Indonesian region, namely 97S and 98S, Icky explained that both systems formed on November 14, 2025, and have the potential, indirectly, to trigger extreme weather in the days following, such as heavy rain and strong winds in Central Java, particularly for cyclone seed 97S.