Bandung barat: The death toll from a massive landslide that hit a residential area in the Bandung Barat region of Indonesia's West Java province rose to 17 on Monday, the country's disaster mitigation agency said. It said dozens were still missing following Saturday's disaster, which was triggered by heavy rains. According to Deutsche Welle, the landslide struck the village of Pasir Langu, situated in a hilly area about 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of Indonesia's capital, Jakarta. The masses of soil and debris that descended on the village severely damaged more than 50 houses and forced more than 650 people to leave their homes, officials said. Local officials have reported that 73 people are still missing. Indonesia's navy chief, Muhammad Ali, stated that 23 navy officers taking part in border control training were among those trapped by the landslide, and while some bodies have been found, others remain missing. He noted that bad weather was preventing heavy equipment from reaching the area. Flood s and landslides are frequent occurrences across the Indonesian archipelago during the rainy season, which typically lasts from October to March. West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi attributed Saturday's disaster to deforestation of the surrounding area to free land for plantations, mainly used to grow vegetables. "This area should be forested. Local residents should be relocated because the potential for landslide is high," Dedi said in a statement Saturday. The Indonesian government has also pointed out forest loss as a significant factor behind the destruction caused by flooding and landslides on Sumatra island last year, in which approximately 1,200 people were killed, and more than a million displaced. It has filed several lawsuits following those floods and sought millions in damages from six companies, while last week revoking more than two dozen permits from forestry, mining, and hydroelectric firms operating in Sumatra.