Landslide strikes Indonesia, killing 9; 34 missing

A landslide triggered by heavy rains has left at least nine people dead and at least 34 people missing in western Indonesia, the Straits Times of Singapore reported.

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The landslide came less than two weeks after a deadly tsunami triggered by an earthquake hit Indonesia's Sunda Strait, killing 429 people.

The landslide occurred just before sunset Monday in the West Java province, the Independent reported. Heavy rains, rough roads and power outages are preventing officials from sending heavy machinery into the area, according to disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

"Relief efforts have also been hampered by a lot of people who want to get to the disaster," Nugroho told the Times. "The roads are narrow, which has caused rescue teams, logistics and ambulances to be stuck in traffic jams."

It is not unusual for Indonesia to experience landslides and floods during rainy season, the Times reported.

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