Hopefully, four more victims can be found today
Makassar, South Sulawesi (ANTARA) - A joint search and rescue (SAR) team located the second of the six persons reported missing in a landslide in Moncong Jai, Cendrana, Maros district, South Sulawesi, on the third day of the search operation.

“Today (Friday) as of 12:50 p.m. local time, one victim was found five meters from the riverside, and the SAR team evacuated it (the body) to the Cendrana Local Health Center in Maros," Chief of South Sulawesi Search and Rescue Agency, Djunaidi, confirmed here on Friday.

The first victim, a 48-year-old male, was found on Wednesday (December 27, 2022). As of Friday, the joint SAR team continued to search for the other victims around the landslide disaster site.

"Hopefully, four more victims can be found today. We really need cohesiveness and togetherness in this operation," Djunaidi said.

Based on the information received, the second victim, identified as DR, 80, was found dead, the province's Police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) Commander, Senior Commissioner Heru Novianto, informed.

The joint SAR team involved personnel from the Brimob, the military (TNI), Disaster Response Cadets (Tagana), the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), firefighters, and SAR's potential team in the operation.

After the body was found partly buried under landslide material, it was taken by the team to the nearest local health center and then the family was asked to take care of the funeral process.

"The body condition was buried in mud and some body parts were trapped by pieces of wood," the joint team informed.

Next, according to its plan, the team will dive into the river to search for more victims after preparing the equipment needed for the underwater search.

The landslide on Tuesday (December 27) in Moncong Jai hamlet, Rompegading village, Cendrana, Maros district, South Sulawesi, affected three housing units and blocked the highway connecting Maros city to Bone district.

Two out of the six missing victims had been found as of Friday (December 30).

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Translator: M Fatir, Kenzu
Editor: Sri Haryati
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