Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. People affected by a flash flood walk on a muddy road in Pekalongan, Central Java, Indonesia, Wednesday, Jan ...

Indonesian rescuers have recovered the bodies of at least 17 people who were swept away in flash floods or buried under tons of mud and rocks that hit hilly villages on the country’s main island of Java.

Indonesian rescuers resumed a search on Wednesday for people missing after flash floods and landslides on Indonesia’s main island of Java that killed at least 17 people. Waters from flooded rivers tore through nine villages in Pekalongan regency of Central Java province and landslides tumbled onto mountainside hamlets after the torrential rains on Monday.

In December, a landslide and flash floods in Sukabumi, West Java, killed 12 people, destroyed dozens of homes and forced evacuations in vulnerable areas. Villagers described the floods as "unprecedented" with rapid water currents sweeping through settlements.

JAKARTA: The Central Java administration has urged residents to remain vigilant against hydrometeorological disasters as the province will likely continue to see moderate to heavy rainfall until next month.

The heavy rains caused rivers to overflow on the main island of Java, flooding nine villages and sending mud, rocks, and debris cascading down the mountainsides.

Indonesia is seeing an increased risk of hydrometeorological disasters due to the La Niña weather phenomenon, which typically brings a wetter rainy season to the archipelago.

People affected by a flash flood walk on a muddy road in Pekalongan, Central Java, Indonesia, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Janaki DM)

Flash floods have wreaked havoc across several regions in Indonesia, displacing thousands and causing widespread damage. Rescue teams are working tirelessly to evacuate stranded residents, provide aid,

People make their way on a road cut off by a landslide following a flash flood which killed a number of people in Pekalongan, Central Java, Indonesia, Wednesday, Jan. 22,

People examine the damage at an area affected by a landslide following a flash flood in Pekalongan, Central Java, Indonesia, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Credit: AP/Janaki DM Indonesia, a major ...

The region has already faced devastating disasters triggered by extreme weather in the past month, including 29 floods and seven landslides.