Java Landslide Buries 60

A landslide at a tea plantation in Java has killed at least 5 people and left 60 others buried, according to police on Indonesia's main island. Villagers are digging through tons of mud with farm tools and their bare hands searching for survivors, the AP reports. Days of heavy rain have soaked the area south of Jakarta, leaving roads impassable.

A cell phone tower was brought down in the landslide, further hampering the rescue effort. The region has been experiencing heavier rains than usual this year, causing floods that have forced hundreds from their homes. Deforestation in the area has stripped hillsides of their cover, increasing the risk and severity of landslides, the BBC notes.
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