Landslide on Pacet-Cangar Route in Mojokerto-Batu, 1 Casualty Found

BATU, KOMPAS—A landslide occurred on the route connecting Batu City to Mojokerto Regency, East Java, precisely on the Pacet-Sumberbrantas highway, Kilometer 69+500 in the Watutumpang area, Cangar, within the Mojokerto region, Thursday (3/4/2025).

As of the time this news was written, one victim has been confirmed dead as a result of the incident. The victim was a car driver passing by, whose identity is still unknown. The victim was immediately taken to a hospital in the Mojokerto area.

The Head of the Emergency and Logistics Division of the East Java Provincial Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Satriyo Nurseno, confirmed the incident. According to Satriyo, one victim has been found. The victim was inside a black Avanza car buried by the landslide.

As for the total number of victims, Satriyo could not confirm it yet. "The total number of victims is still unknown because no one knows the number of passengers in the R4 (vehicle buried by the landslide)," he stated via WhatsApp on Thursday night.

Landslide handling, according to Satriyo, was carried out through two directions, namely Mojokerto and Batu. The search was conducted by the Rapid Response Team (TRC) of the East Java Provincial BPBD, the Mojokerto Regency BPBD, and the Batu City BPBD, as well as local authorities. Several elements, such as the Malang Raya SAR Standby Unit, the TNI/Polri, and other volunteers, were also involved.

The number of victims is still unknown as no one knows who was in the vehicle buried by the landslide.

Based on the information gathered, the landslide occurred at 11:30 AM. At that time, the Cangar-Pacet area was experiencing heavy rainfall. The high-intensity rain over the past few days had caused the soil to become saturated.

The hill on the right side of Km 69+500 collapsed, covering the roadway. The landslide debris was 1.2 meters thick and 30 meters long. It is estimated that two cars and one motorcycle were trapped beneath the landslide. The two cars in question are an Avanza and a Daihatsu Grand Max.

As a result of this landslide, the Batu-Mojokerto route has been cut off and is impassable. The police have temporarily closed the route. The Pacet-Cangar route serves as an alternative road from Batu to Mojokerto and vice versa. This route passes through the R Soerjo Grand Forest Park. It is frequently used by motorists during long Eid holidays like the current period, aside from detouring through Kandangan in Kediri or Malang.

The Mojokerto Road and Bridge Management Technical Implementation Unit (PJJ) through TRC in collaboration with the Mojokerto Regency Government and the Malang PJJ UPT handled landslide points and evacuation using excavators.

Meanwhile, Batu Police Chief, Senior Commissioner Andi Yudha Pranata, appealed to the public not to cross the Cangar-Pacet route following the landslide that occurred because the road conditions were still covered in mud, soil, and tree branches.

To anticipate traffic congestion, especially with the number of tourists reaching 25,000 people, the police diverted the route.

"We ask tourists not to pass through the route while the cleaning process is taking place. Traffic Unit personnel from Batu Police are on site to help regulate traffic and provide education to the public," he said.

The evacuation and handling of the landslide was temporarily stopped on Thursday evening due to worsening weather conditions, rain, and minimal lighting. The evacuation and handling process will be resumed on Friday morning.