Landslides caused by torrential rains killed at least 36 people overnight in Indonesia's Central Java province, police said on Wednesday.

Rescue workers and police were struggling to reach the affected areas as roads were cut off, said provincial police spokesman Syahroni.

"We expect the number of victims to increase," Syahroni said, adding that the Tawangmangu area in Karang Anyar district was worst hit.

Metro TV put the death toll from the landslides at 59.

Landslides are frequent in Indonesia, where tropical downpours can quickly soak hillsides and years of deforestation often means there is little vegetation to hold the soil.

 PHOTO CAPTION

A village buried by a landslide in Central Java

Reuters