Indonesia mudslide kills 20; rescuers hunt for 88 missing

Fifteen injured people have been plucked out of the mud after a hillside collapsed on Dec. 12 in central Java, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the country's disaster mitigation agency, said today. Heavy rain, damaged roads and a lack of heavy equipment have hampered the rescue, he said. President Joko Widodo said he is traveling to the region today to survey the damage and see what equipment is needed. Rescuers have been using their bare hands and wading through thick mud to find bodies and village animals, after more than 100 houses were flattened, the Jakarta Globe reported on its website. Landslides are common during the mountainous archipelago's rainy season, which lasts from October to March. Three people mining rock were killed by debris from one landslide in western Java in October.