Indonesian President Joko Widodo is calling for the prosecution of "environment destroyers"; illegal mining operations that Jokowi says worsened the death toll and land degradation in the recent landslides and flooding in West Java.

At least 34 people died and 6,300 more are living out of shelters because of the flooding in and around Garut, West Java last week.  President Widodo visited the area this week.  He said that clearing the land to make way for illegal mining of sand and clay had caused major environmental degradation, eliminating natural barriers to stop landslides occurring.

"Law enforcement is the most important thing because without it, forest, vegetation and trees will be bald," Mr. Widodo said in a statement.  "I have ordered national police chief to take legal action towards those environment destroyers who have caused floods like this one which happened in Garut."

National Disaster Management Authority chief Willem Rampangilei said the area needed to strengthen flood and landslide early warning systems as well as educate the community on prevention and mitigation.