WATCH: Footage Shows Aftermath of Deadly Mudslide in Indonesia

By Adam Douty, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist

December 15,2014; 8:43PM,EST

 

 

 

On Monday afternoon local time, officials from the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB) said the death toll for a large landslide in central Indonesia was up to 51. Another 57 residents were still unaccounted for. They also report that over 2,000 personnel are contributing to the search.
The landslide occurred late on Friday in the village of Sampang, which is centrally located on the island of Java several hundred miles to the east-southeast of Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. The landslide buried more than 100 homes.

Search and rescue efforts were put on hold Monday as heavy rain returned to the area, making it unsafe due to fears of additional mudslides.
Villagers and rescuers examine the site where a landslide swept away houses in Jemblung Village, Central Java, Indonesia, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Bayu Nur)
Leading up to the mudslide, days of torrential rainfall soaked the region which saturated the ground and loosened the soil until the hillside gave way. These daily rounds of thunderstorms are typical in the region during this time of year as tropical moisture sits over the tropics.
The BNPB has also reported that additional landslides have damaged and blocked local roads, making it difficult for large equipment to reach the site.
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Over the next several days, daily rounds of thunderstorms will threaten the region which could lead to additional delays in search and rescue operations and bring about the threat for more mudslides.
Meteorologist Eric Leister contributed to this story.