27/01/2026

TUESDAY | JAN 27, 2026 7 Java landslide toll rises to 17 JAKARTA: The death toll from a landslide that hit West Java province at the weekend rose to 17 yesterday, the country’s disaster mitigation agency said, with dozens still missing. The landslide that hit a residential area in the Bandung Barat region early on Saturday was triggered by heavy rains starting the day before, which the weather agency warned could continue in the province and several other regions for another week. The affected Pasir Langu village is in a hilly area of the province about 100km southeast of Jakarta. More than 30 houses were buried by the landslide, the agency said. At least 17 people have died, said agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari yesterday, with 73 still missing. Indonesia’s navy chief Muhammad Ali said 23 navy officers were among those trapped. The officers were involved in border patrol training at the time of the landslide, he said, adding that heavy equipment was not able to reach the disaster zone due to bad weather. The agency said on Sunday that a smaller landslide together with bad weather had also hindered the search, which requires drones and heavy equipment. Flash floods hit several parts of Indonesia last week, including West Java and Jakarta, forcing residents to flee their homes and evacuate to higher ground. – Reuters COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has appealed to residents to donate land to support the construction of new homes for families displaced by Cyclone Ditwah , as the government steps up nationwide reconstruction efforts. The President’s Media Division (PMD) said many families lost their homes and property in the disaster, and that a housing construction project is underway for those whose houses were destroyed. ”The government is calling on philanthropic individuals and landowners to contribute land needed for permanent housing.” The PMD said details are available through the government website and hotline, and prospective donors can submit information directly to the authorities. The government pledged that no affected citizen would be left behind and said the rebuilding drive would be carried out as a transparent national effort. – Bernama SEOUL MOURNS DEATH OF FORMER PREMIER HANOI: South Korean former prime minister Lee Hae-chan, a veteran politician and influential fixture on the country’s road to democracy, died during an official visit to Ho Chi Minh City. Lee, 73 died on Sunday, after emergency medical aid for a heart attack, a South Korean presidential advisory panel said. “The country has lost a great mentor in the history of our democracy,” President Lee Jae Myung said.“He dedicated his life to protecting and growing democratic values through our turbulent modern history.” Lee spearheaded government reform as prime minister from 2004 to 2006. The seven-term former member of parliament had started out as a student activist who was jailed in the 1970s for leading a democracy movement. He was considered a shrewd strategist who helped four liberal presidents, including the incumbent, to win the office. – Reuters SRI LANKA SEEKS LAND FOR CYCLONE VICTIMS

Triple-decker ferry sinks in southern Philippines

o 18 dead, 24 missing

MANILA: A ferry with more than 350 people onboard sank early yesterday in choppy seas off the southern Philippines, killing at least 18 and leaving 24 still missing. The MV Trisha Kerstin 3 issued a distress signal around 1.50am (1.50am in Malaysia), a bit over four hours after it departed the Port of Zamboanga City on the southwestern tip of Mindanao, the coast guard said in a statement. Video released by the governor of Basilan province showed barefoot survivors being wrapped in blankets and placed on gurneys, while victims of the sinking were carried past in body bags. The triple-decker vessel went down on nearly the same route where 31 people died in 2023 after a fire aboard the Lady Mary Joy 3 ferry. Both ships were owned by Aleson Shipping Lines. At least 317 people have so far been rescued, according to the most recent tally by the Philippine Coast Guard, with 18 confirmed dead and 24 still unaccounted for. Sheryl Balondo, a rescuer in Isabela City, one of two municipalities where survivors were being taken, said their office had received more than 100 phone calls from concerned family members. “There’s a tug in our hearts whenever we pick up a call. Their voices sounded worried,” she said. “What we can only say is that, as of now, we don’t have the final list (of names), because the search and retrieval operation is ongoing.” The 44m ferry went down about 5km east of Baluk-Baluk Island, part of the Basilan province chain of islands off the Zamboanga peninsula. “Based on the account of some survivors, the waters in the area were rough at the time,” Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Noemie Cayabyab said in a televised interview. Basilan emergency responder Ronalyn Perez said rescuers were struggling to handle the influx of survivors. “The challenge really is the number of patients that are coming in. We are short staffed,” Perez said, adding that at least 18 had been brought to one local hospital.

BR I E F S

Survivors of the sunken MV Trisha Kerstin 3 being transferred to another ship in waters off Basilan province. – PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD HANDOUT/AFPPIC

cause,” said Romel Dua, a coast guard commander from southern Mindanao. The coast guard said the ferry had not been overloaded. “Our thoughts and hearts are with everyone who was on board,” Aleson Shipping Lines said in a statement, adding they were working in close coordination with the coast guard. – AFP

Video released by the Philippine Coast Guard showed survivors being plucked from the water and receiving medical attention. Some could be heard shouting for help in the dark in a live video on Facebook. “We cannot say for now the reason of the sinking, but we were instructed to conduct a marine casualty investigation to determine the

Thailand releases endangered leopard sharks MAITON ISLAND: After a brief countdown by conservationists, a young Indo-Pacific leopard shark glided into the blue waters off Maiton Island in Phuket, released in the country’s first efforts to “rewild” the endangered species.

taking care of the shark – daily feeding, recording their growth and also recording their general health to be able to keep them healthy and train them for the wild,” said Metavee, referring to human caretakers. Two days before the four pups were released last month, marine veterinarians conducted final health checks to ensure they were fit to be returned to the sea. The checks included ultrasound examinations to assess the sharks’ internal health, along with the fitting of acoustic tracking devices, the collection of DNA samples and measurements, before the animals were cleared for release. While the species is protected under Thailand’s wildlife conservation laws, Metavee said broader efforts such as protecting habitats, reducing pollution and improving marine resource management, are essential for the sharks’ long-term survival in the wild. For Metavee, success is not just about the number of sharks released, but about signs of true recovery: such as regular sightings by divers, evidence of breeding in the wild and the absence of leopard sharks from fish markets. “That’s probably what I would call a long term success,” she said. – Reuters

Once a familiar sight for snorkellers and divers, the spotted sharks have sharply declined in the wild over the past decade due to overfishing and habitat loss, even as they flourished in private aquariums. “Why not take the breeding population that is doing well in the aquariums and release them back into the wild so that the wild population can recover?” said Metavee Chuangcharoendee, project manager of the StAR Project Thailand, a partnership launched last year between the government, NGOs and aquariums. The latest release in December included the sharks Maiton, Hope, Spot and Toty, each nearly two years old. They were among seven pups released so far, after being bred and raised in an aquarium for about a year. All spent months being taught behaviours they will need in the wild, including in the sea pen off the pier at Maiton Resort, where they adjust to natural conditions. “This sea pen is built to acclimatise the shark to their environment and the shark nannies are

A shark nanny feeds a juvenile leopard shark in a sea pen ahead of its release. – REUTERSPIC