The death toll from a devastating landslide at an illegal gold mine in West Sumatra, Indonesia, has been revised down to 11. This revision comes after initial reports, which stated that 15 people had lost their lives in the tragedy. The landslide struck a remote site in West Sumatra province on Thursday evening, following heavy rainfall in the area. Rescue efforts were hampered by the difficult terrain, with responders, including police officers, soldiers, and civilians, having to walk for hours from the nearest village to reach the site.
Irwan Effendy, a disaster agency official in West Sumatra’s Solok district, explained to AFP that the initial count was inaccurate due to the remote location and lack of communication networks. “Due to the remote location of the landslide, which requires a 4-6 hour walk, and the lack of communication networks, there was a mismatched number of victims,” Effendy stated. He also confirmed that 13 people were injured in the incident. The revised death toll confirms that no one remains missing, a change from earlier reports indicating 25 people unaccounted for.
The tragic incident occurred at an illegal mine, a common occurrence across the mineral-rich Southeast Asian archipelago. Abandoned mining sites often attract locals who seek to recover leftover gold ore, often without proper safety equipment. This incident highlights the dangers of operating in these unlicensed mining areas, particularly during Indonesia’s rainy season, which typically extends from November to April. While landslides are a common occurrence during this period, recent years have seen similar disasters caused by adverse weather conditions outside of the usual rainy season.
