Landslide Buries Bus in Indonesia; 44 Die
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PADANG, Indonesia — A landslide triggered by heavy rains inundated a bus on Sumatra island, killing at least 44 people and leaving the vehicle barely visible, an Indonesian police official said Saturday.
The landslide occurred in West Sumatra’s Pasaman district as the bus was heading to the city of Medan.
M. Zaini, Pasaman’s police chief, said 13 people had escaped the bus. Others remained trapped inside, but he did not expect them to survive.
The landslide occurred late Friday in an area that had been cleared of forest cover. Deforestation has been blamed for many deadly slides in Sumatra.
The police chief said the landslide had crashed onto the bus along a tight and twisting section of road against a cliff. About 330 feet of road was covered by the debris, and heavy machinery had arrived to help, he said.
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