Natural Disasters : Landslide on Slope of Mount Kelud, 9 Killed

Nine people died and seven were injured hit by landslides on the slopes of Mount Kelud Pandansari Village, District Ngantang, Malang regency, East Java, on Sunday ( 17/04/2011 ). The victims are finding firewood for villagers intent marriage.

According Jayus Riyanto, an eyewitness who was about 100 meters when the disaster happened, the incident happened at around 12.00. At that time most of the 25 searchers were collecting firewood on the edge of the River Nambakan timber for transport truck driven by Jayus.

" Suddenly the sound of thunder. I went straight to the scene. I see some people were running confusion. When I arrived, there are still asked for help but after I gave the drink continued to die. Most of the dead, " said Jayus.

The avalanche victims are residents of two hamlets, Sedayun and Klangon of Pandansari Village, District Ngantang, Malang regency, some 42 kilometers from Malang, who is on the northern slopes of Mount Kelud. Time of the incident, the residents of two villages, dozens of people, is undergoing a mutual aid activities to take wood from the forest edge slopes.

Wood twigs is taken to be used as a means to fuel the wedding one of the residents. Without preceded the rain, we knew only about 300 meter -high hill landslides.

Hamlet Kamituwo Sedayun, Suyitno ( 40s ), revealed, the scene was in bulkhead Tambaan River, known as lava channels on the slopes of Mount Kelud north. " The lava path that many of the wood debris from the flooded forests of unused and accumulate as litter, " he said.