JAKARTA, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- Around 50 people are missing after a bridge collapsed in Madiun regency of East Java province on Wednesday, local police said Thursday.

    Strong currents of the river triggered by flood had damaged one of the foundations of the bridge and cause the bridge collapse, local police chief Supardi had told Xinhua through telephone from the regency on Wednesday night.

    Supardi said that about 20 people were feared dead as they were on the bridge when it collapsed, some of them riding motorcycles. All of them plunged into the river and were swept by the strong currents.

    The bridge collapsed in the afternoon, but until midnight none of them was found by rescuers, said Supardi. "They could be dead as the water of the rivers flow is very fast and deep."

    The accident happened following floods and landslides in Central Java that killed at least 61 persons on Wednesday.

    Indonesia has been frequently hit by flood and landslide due to lack of forest-covered areas, which could not hold excessive waters during heavy rains.

    Forest destruction and illegal logging have caused the lack of the areas.

    Indonesia, which is losing its forests at the world's fastest rate, is struggling to keep its rain forest from deforestation.

Indonesian soldiers and volunteers search for missing people following a landslide in Tawangmangu on Java island Dec. 26, 2007. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

Landslides kill 88 in Indonesia after torrential rains

    JAKARTA, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Days of torrential rain triggered landslides, killing up to 88 people till 21:00 local time in Central Java province of Indonesia on Wednesday, Antara news agency reported.

    Out of the victims, 71 people were killed in Karanganyar district of the province, 17 were killed in regencies of Tirtomoyodan Manyaran of Wonogiri district. And thousands of houses were destroyed by the floods, said the report. Full story

Indonesian soldiers and villagers dig into mud to search for landslide victims in Karang Anyar district near Solo, Indonesia's Central Java province, Dec. 26, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

Indonesian president orders immediate response in landslide zone

    JAKARTA, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered immediate post-disaster responses in the town of Karanganyar where landslides buried dozens of homes and killed at least 60 people early on Wednesday.  Full story

Rescue underway after landslides in Indonesia

    JAKARTA, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of rescuers using heavy machinery equipment and bare hands removed the rubbles of houses found 35 missing persons after landslides destroyed Tawangmangu district at Karanganyar regency of Central Java province on Wednesday, disaster management agency said. Full story