A week-long rescue operation after the recovery of 27 bodies has been halted
After a landslide at an illegal gold mine in Indonesia, the number of fatalities has risen to at least 27. A representative of the disaster response agency in the province of Gorontalo stated this on Saturday. The search for the 15 missing persons has now been called off.
The landslide occurred last Saturday in a remote village in the Bone Bolango district on the island of Sulawesi due to heavy rainfall. Hundreds of policemen and soldiers were involved in the search and rescue efforts. They could only reach the accident site on foot as several bridges had collapsed. Among the victims were mine workers and people who operated sales stalls near the mine, according to official reports.
Landslides are common in Indonesia, especially during the rainy season. In May, at least 15 people were killed by landslides and flooding in the South Sulawesi province. Furthermore, in the gold-rich land of Southeast Asia, numerous unauthorized mines are being operated. Even in abandoned mines, locals dig for gold without the necessary safety equipment.
The authorities announced the suspension of the two-week long rescue operation, as no sign of the missing 15 individuals was found amidst the landslide debris. The rescue operation, which involved hundreds of personnel, was launched to save anyone trapped following the deadly landslide in Indonesia. The tragic landslide, which claimed at least 27 lives, brought to light the ongoing issue of unauthorized gold mining in Indonesia, leading to numerous rescue operations in such hazardous conditions.
