Heavy rain on Sunday afternoon until night caused the landslides in five locations along the highway.Bengkulu (ANTARA News) - Rain-triggered landslides blocked and trapped a number of cars and motorcycles along a highway between the districts of Bengkulu Utara and Lebong.
Heavy equipment had been brought in from both Bengkulu Utara and Lebong to remove the piles of earth and clear the provincial road, Head of the Bengkulu Public Works Service Azwar Boerhan said via telephone on Monday.
"Hopefully a number of cars including those of the chief of the Lebong district police and district secretariat could move out from the places where they have been trapped since last night," Azwar said.
Heavy rain on Sunday afternoon until night caused the landslides in five locations along the highway, he said.
The piles of earth were as high as 2.5 to 3 meters on the road, but there was no report of casualty as the cars were located in safe places between the landslides.
"We are working hard with the help of local villagers to clear away the earth and rocks. I am here since last night," he said from a location of the landslides.
In some places the road was blocked by falling trees, he added.
Lebong district spokesman Fachrudin said a number of cars had and motorcycles had been evacuated but the cars of the Lebong police chief Adj. Sr. Comr Roh Hadi and the district secretariat were still trapped in a location between two landslides.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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