Landslides Destroy Mountain Village In Sumatra, Five Dead, Homes Buried, Rescue Teams Climb Through Mud

Padang, Indonesia— Landslides in Sumatra destroyed a mountain village on October 31, 2026, claiming five lives and burying homes under a torrent of mud and rock.

The slides struck at dawn in the highlands above Solok, West Sumatra. Rain had fallen for 36 hours straight. The hillside above Jorong Batu hamlet gave way in two sections. The first slide hit the upper houses. The second, larger one came 20 minutes later and buried the lower cluster.

Local disaster agency said five bodies were recovered by noon. Three were in one home where a family was sleeping. Two were found under a collapsed musholla. At least 12 homes were destroyed. More than 30 were damaged. The village had about 150 residents.

Survivors said there was no warning. One man said he heard trees cracking. He ran with his wife and child. Behind him, his neighbor’s house vanished. A woman said mud pushed through her kitchen window like cement. She climbed onto her roof.

Access was brutal. The only road to the village is a narrow dirt track that winds up from the main highway. It was blocked in four places by smaller slides. Heavy equipment could not get through. Soldiers and volunteers walked in carrying shovels. They dug with hands and hoes.

West Sumatra’s governor said rescue teams were deployed but progress was slow. Rain was still falling. The soil was unstable. Fresh cracks appeared above the village. Officials feared a third slide. They ordered evacuation of the remaining residents to a school downhill.

The meteorology agency said rainfall in the area reached 180 millimeters in 24 hours, well above October average. Deforestation on surrounding slopes made it worse. Illegal logging has thinned the forest. Coffee plantations replaced trees but their roots are shallow.

Relief was limited. Food and blankets were carried in on motorbikes. A health post was set up in a mosque. Injured people had cuts and fractures. One child was treated for hypothermia after being trapped in mud for an hour.

By evening, five were confirmed dead. The village was empty except for rescuers. Mud was still sliding. Families waited in the school below, asking about missing relatives.