Heavy rains in Pekalongan triggered devastating landslides, blocking major roads and burying homes.

A landslide in Indonesia’s Central Java province has killed at least 19 people as rescuers continue to search for survivors.

Heavy rain in Pekalongan causing landslides Tuesday on a main road connecting the city to the tourist area of ​​Dieng Plateau.

Local media footage showed affected roads and houses buried and rice fields covered in mud, rubble and rocks.

Rescuers were forced to walk about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) to reach the scene because the road was impassable. Excavators were deployed to clear the landslide, but heavy rain and fog hampered rescue efforts.

“Joint search and rescue teams successfully located and evacuated two bodies on Wednesday morning. As of this afternoon, the death toll is 19,” said Abdul Muhari, spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

“The two bodies discovered this morning are part of a list of those missing in connection with this tragic incident.”

Search and rescue agency Basanas said on Wednesday that 13 people were also injured.

Local official Mohammad Yulian Akbar said heavy machinery had been deployed to clear roads for search teams and about 200 rescue workers had been dispatched to assist with rescue efforts.

“The focus is on finding the victims,” ​​he said, adding that local authorities had declared a state of emergency in the area for two weeks.

Images shared by disaster relief agencies showed rescuers carrying victims in body bags on bamboo stretchers amid thick fog at the scene.

The agency warned residents that rain is expected in the coming days, which could lead to more landslides and flash flooding.

Indonesia is prone to landslides during the rainy season (usually November to April), but in recent years, some disasters caused by severe weather have occurred outside the rainy season.

In December, 10 people were killed flash flood Attacks were carried out on hilly villages on the country’s main island of Java.