CIANJUR- The herculean task of rescuing trapped survivors of the Java earthquake is underway, while the death toll from the disaster has been recorded at 162, as of now. Given the severity of the situation, rescuing the trapped has not been easy, as the debris has rendered many areas almost unreachable.

According to one of the rescuers, 34-year-old Dimas Reviansyah, the rescue team has had to resort to chainsaws and excavators to break through piles of felled trees and heavy debris to reach the survivors. Drone footage captured by AFP also shows a landslide triggered by the quake, making matters worse. Indonesian disaster management agency BNPB stated that there were still around 25 trapped survivors by sundown on Monday.

President Joko Widodo visited the area on Tuesday, offering compensation to the families of the victims and expressing his deepest condolences. He also ordered the disaster and rescue agencies to prioritize the evacuation of victims.