A devastating landslide at a gold mine in western Indonesia has resulted in the loss of at least 15 lives and left dozens more unaccounted for. The disaster struck a remote site in West Sumatra province on Sumatra island on Thursday evening, following a period of heavy rainfall in the area.
According to Ilham Wahab, spokesperson for the provincial disaster mitigation agency, the landslide buried several individuals. Rescue efforts are currently underway to locate the missing. In addition to the fatalities, three people have been reported injured.
Unlicensed mining operations are unfortunately common across the mineral-rich Southeast Asian archipelago. Abandoned sites often attract locals seeking leftover gold ore, who often lack proper safety equipment and work in hazardous conditions. While authorities have not confirmed if the mine in question was illegal, all activities at the site have been halted as search efforts continue.
The remote location of the landslide has hampered rescue efforts, with responders including police officers, soldiers, and civilians having to trek for hours from the nearest village to reach the affected area. “The location is quite far, the terrain is tough,” said Wahab, “This has hampered evacuation effort but people are helping so that this evacuation process can be carried out quickly.”
Indonesia is frequently impacted by landslides during its rainy season, which typically runs from November to April. In July, a similar tragedy occurred when a landslide near an illegal gold mine on the central Indonesian island of Sulawesi claimed the lives of at least 27 people. In May, another series of landslides and flooding in South Sulawesi province resulted in the deaths of at least 15 people, swept away dozens of homes, and damaged roads.
