At least 17 dead in Indonesia landslide

At least 17 people are dead and about 100 are missing after a landslide swept away most of a village on the Indonesian island of Java.

Rescuers remove the body of a victim of landslides, Central Java

A landslide triggered by torrential downpours has killed at least eight people in central Indonesia. (AAP)

Torrential downpours have triggered a landslide on Indonesia's main island of Java, killing at least 17 people and leaving nearly 100 others missing.

Hundreds of rescuers were digging with shovels through mud and rubble after the landslide buried scores of houses in Jemblung village late on Friday, the national disaster agency said.

"The rescue team have found 17 bodies," spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said, adding 11 others were badly injured and rescuers were searching for 91 people.

Heavy excavation equipment was brought in to speed up the rescue work, which had to be halted on Saturday afternoon after fresh downpours sparked fears of more landslides.

Witnesses said they heard a "thundering sound" as the ground shook when the landslide crashed down and buried the tiny village.

"I ran carrying my daughter to higher ground, and I was crying because I could hear people calling out for help from below," Bini, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, said. Her husband and 14-year-old son were still missing.

"It took just five minutes before soil and trees suddenly covered the village," another survivor, Harno, said.

Rescue efforts have been slow because the ground is unstable. Thousands of curios bystanders have also caused traffic jams, hampering operations.

The search and rescue agency said if the downpours persisted, the search would resume early Sunday.


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