Landslide surprises gold miners and triggers disaster
On an Indonesian island, villagers were on their way to an illegal mine in search of gold when a landslide occurred, killing many people. The number of missing persons is still high even days after the accident, leading to the belief that there are more victims.
After a devastating landslide on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, rescue teams continue their search for survivors. According to the local search and rescue office, there are 23 confirmed dead. It is feared that dozens of people could be buried under mud and debris.
The landslide, originating from surrounding mountains, affected the gold miner camps in an illegal mine in the Bone Bolango district of the Gorontalo province on Sunday. Over 100 villagers were mining at the time of the accident, according to Heriyanto, the head of the provincial search and rescue office who only uses the name.
The search and rescue office reported that 66 villagers managed to escape, 23 were rescued alive, among them 18 injured. Additionally, 23 bodies were found, including three women and a four-year-old boy. Approximately 35 people were reported missing.
Cause was likely heavy rain
The spokesperson for the Indonesian Disaster Management Agency, Abdul Muhari, stated that torrential rain events that have hit the district since Saturday caused the landslide and a dam failure. This led to flooding, forcing over 1000 people to flee.
Since many people are still missing and some remote areas are still inaccessible, the number of fatalities is likely to increase, said a local rescue coordinator, Afifuddin Ilahude. Search dogs will be used in the search.
The international community has expressed concern and offered assistance in the aftermath of the tragic landslide in Indonesia. Gold mining activities are suspected to have exacerbated the risks in the area, leading to calls for improved safety measures.
Despite the recovery of 23 bodies, the search for survivors and the missing continues in Indonesia, with gold being one of the resources sought in the affected illegal mine.
