History of Repeated Landslides in Banjarnegara and Cilacap

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - The National Disaster Management Agency recorded that Banjarnegara and Cilacap are the regions with the highest number of victims suffering and displaced due to landslides in Central Java during the period of 2015-2024. In total, the numbers reached 13,351 individuals and 9,641 individuals, respectively.

"Both are currently affected by landslides with very significant casualties," said the Head of the Center for Data, Information, and Disaster Communication of BNPB, Abdul Muhari, in Jakarta, on Monday (17/11/2025).

"Therefore, history will not lie; once it occurs in the past, if there have not been significant improvements, it is likely to happen again and repeat in the coming years," he stated.

He emphasized that Indonesia does not yet have a national early warning system specifically for landslides and floods based on technology. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) only provides rain warnings, not landslide predictions.

According to Abdul, landslides can also occur even without extreme rainfall, particularly in areas with loose soil. Therefore, it is important for all parties to maintain the preservation of nature from indiscriminate land use.

"We can reduce the potential occurrence if we make significant improvements to the environment; the landscape, the vegetation, and so on," he stated.

Currently, the BNPB is developing a warning and early action system and technology to anticipate wet hydrometeorological disasters based on technology. This technology is utilized to provide information more quickly to the public.

While it is being built, the people in the vulnerable areas have to manually anticipate disasters that could happen to them at any time.

We can reduce the potential for this to happen if we make significant environmental improvements: the landscape, vegetation, and so on.

Abdul explained that the signs of landslides that should be immediately watched for include trees on the hill starting to lean, the appearance of long cracks in the ground, the foundation of houses or walls beginning to crack, and heavy rain lasting more than two hours.

"If there are already signs of that, evacuate immediately, even if the house is still 0.5 – 2 kilometers from the hill," he said. The local government must also expedite the data collection of vulnerable residents, long-term relocation, and environmental rehabilitation through reforestation.

"The results of reforestation may not be visible in 3-5 years; it may only become apparent in 15-20 years. We must consistently carry this out," said Abdul.

As of Monday (17/11/2025), the number of fatalities due to the landslide in Cibeunying Village, Majenang District, Cilacap Regency, Central Java has reached 16 people. Seven others have been missing since Thursday (13/11) and are currently being searched for by a team coordinated by the National Search and Rescue Agency.

In addition, the number of residents temporarily displaced is recorded at 106 individuals, with details of 56 individuals at the Cibeunying Village Hall and 50 individuals at MTS SS Cibeunying. In terms of material damage, the disaster resulted in 16 houses being severely damaged, with 8 units in Cibuyut Hamlet and 8 units in Tarukahan Hamlet, and 16 other houses at risk due to land movement.

Meanwhile, in Pandanarum Village, Pandanarum District, Banjarnegara, 27 residents are still buried under landslides since Saturday (15/11). Two victims have been found dead, two others are injured, and 823 people have been evacuated. Material losses include 30 heavily damaged houses and the destruction of rice fields and plantations.

The team continues to ensure that the basic needs of refugees are met in Banjarnegara and Cilacap. The Ministry of Social Affairs has also provided logistical support in the form of blankets, mattresses, and basic necessities worth Rp. 191.1 million. Additionally, a communal kitchen has been established with a capacity to cook for one thousand people at a time.

The Ministry of Social Affairs also provides compensation to the heirs of the deceased victims amounting to Rp 15 million per person. Regarding the relocation and temporary housing for the victims, this will only be discussed after an evaluation and follow-up actions from the government following the cessation of the disaster response status two weeks ago.

"We provide psychological assistance. Everything is in process. Therefore, there are logistics teams, psychosocial teams, and evacuation teams," said the Deputy Minister of Social Affairs, Agus Jabo Priyono, in a press statement on Sunday (16/11/2025).