LANDSLIDE BURIES HOUSES IN NORTH SUMATRA

Medan, North Sumatra, Nov. 22 (ANTARA) - A landslide buried a number of houses in Silalahi III village, Silahisabungan sub district, Dairi District, North Sumatra province, on Sunday.

The houses were located below Lae Pondom protected forest hilly area, S Siregar, a local resident, said.

The landslide also swept away three residents, whose fate were still unknown, he said.

A woman identified as Rosmauli boru Sidebang was in a critical condition after being hit by the landslide, he said.

Mud and rocks from the landslide also blocked roads and destroyed the Sibola Huta bridge connecting several villages in Silahisabungan subdistrict, he said.

Due to the natural disaster, transportation connecting Silalahi I, II, III and Paropo I as well as II villages were totally cut off.

Local villagers also experienced power blackouts as a number of electric poles had collapsed due to the landslide.

Heavy rains in the Silahisabungan sub district over the past two days, triggered the landslide and caused Lake Toba to overflow.

Meanwhile, on Saturday night, a landslide triggered by heavy rain killed two people at Penampihan village, Tulungagung district, East Java.

The Minem (49) and her 17-year-old child could not escape when the landslide engulfed their home in the village, Santoso, a relative, said on Sunday.

He said Wagini (55), Minem's husband, however managed to escape the landslide.

"But their house was buried by mudslide two meters high," Santoso said.

The landslide also damaged dozens of houses in the village.