JAKARTA, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian disaster authorities have raised the death toll from landslides hitting Indonesia's West Java province on Monday to 15, with 20 other people still missing, a government official said.

Three villagers were injured when the natural disaster devastated Sinaresmi village of Sukabumi district, spokesman of the National Disaster Management Agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said late Tuesday night.

Rescuers were trying to recover the victims which are believed to be buried by soil and rocks along with 30 houses in the village, he said.

However, the spokesman said, rescuers faced the threat of another landslides during their relief mission.

"Four other small scale landslides occurred. The loose soil texture and unstable earth conditions have endangered the rescuers particularly when rains fall," Sutopo told Xinhua.

One of the two heavy machinery equipment has arrived at the scene to help the search and rescue mission, he added.

A total of 63 villagers survived the landslides and were taking shelters in safer places, according to the spokesman.

Heavy downpours were blamed for the deadly disaster striking at 17:00 p.m. Jakarta time Monday.

Indonesia is frequently stricken by landslides and flash floods during the rain season.