Cilacap, C. Java. Authorities have extended search-and-rescue efforts for victims of a deadly landslide in Central Java’s Cilacap district into an eighth day, as three residents remain missing amid difficult terrain and shifting debris.

Lieutenant General Suharyanto, head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), said on Friday that rescue teams were continuing operations in Cibeunying village, Majenang subdistrict, where the landslide struck earlier this month.

“As of today, there are still three people we are searching for. Hopefully we can find them,” Suharyanto told reporters after a disaster-mitigation event in Wonosobo on Friday.

Updated government data show that 46 people were affected by the disaster: 20 were found dead, 23 survived, and three remain unaccounted for.

Suharyanto acknowledged that the search period had exceeded BNPB’s standard operating procedure of 6×24 hours. However, the agency has extended the mission by three additional days to ensure all possible victims are located. Authorities will consult the families after the extension to determine whether operations should continue.

“If the families say they are ready to let go, then we will evaluate whether the search needs to be prolonged,” he said.

While heavy equipment, personnel, and weather-mitigation measures are in place, Suharyanto said the main challenge lies in the volume and speed of the landslide material. “This landslide moved at up to 200 kilometers per hour. It is possible that the victims’ positions have shifted, but we will keep searching,” he added.

Beyond recovery operations, the government is also focusing on supporting displaced residents. Around 196 households from Majenang are now transitioning toward relocation, with the local government preparing land for temporary housing.

“We will start building temporary shelters in the next one to two days. The land is ready and is being prepared,” Suharyanto said.

He assured that essential needs --food supplies, tents, medical services, and other logistics-- remain adequate for evacuees. Still, he warned that long-term support must not decline as the news cycle moves on.

“In the first one or two weeks, aid usually comes in abundance, but after one or two months, attention can fade. This must remain a priority for the central and local governments, the military, police, and all relevant ministries,” he said.

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