EAST JAVA, INDONESIA — At least two people are confirmed dead and dozens more are missing after a landslide buried a village in East Java, Indonesia on April 1.

Heavy rain over several days caused a large sheet of rock and earth to dislodge and slide roughly 800 metres down the side of a mountain.

There were warning signs. On March 26, residents in the area reported seeing a 15-metre long crack on a cliff above the village expand to 20-metres.

The warning went out and residents began to leave leave town for safety the same day.
However, many returned over the following days to harvest ginger from their fields.

Rainwater had infiltrated the limestone subsoil and at about 8am local time, the land gave way, burying families beneath rock and mud.

Seven excavators were sent to clear the debris. In some places the earth was 17 metres thick.

Officials say the clear up and recovery effort could take up to a month depending on the weather.

Initial rescue teams were obstructed by traffic jams caused by people flocking to see the landslide.

According to the Antara news agency, at least 26 people are still missing.