LANDSLIDE AT ILLEGAL GOLD MINE IN INDONESIA LEAVES 23 DEAD, DOZENS MISSING

Rescuers search for survivors at the mine [File: Handout/ EPA]

Tue 09 July 2024:

Indonesian rescue workers are urgently searching for missing individuals after a landslide at an illegal gold mine on Sulawesi island claimed at least 23 lives. The death toll is expected to rise as 35 people remain unaccounted for, officials reported on Tuesday.

Indonesia frequently faces landslides, exacerbated by deforestation and unregulated small-scale mining operations in remote areas. These mines pose significant hazards, including landslides, flooding, and tunnel collapses. The gold extraction process often involves the use of highly toxic mercury and cyanide, further increasing risks.

The landslide struck a remote village in Bone Bolango district of Gorontalo province on Sunday, following heavy rains that engulfed miners and nearby residents. Rescue operations have been challenging due to continuous rain, unstable soil, and rugged terrain.

Hundreds of rescue workers, including police officers and soldiers, have been deployed to the area, which is located over 2,000 kilometers east of the capital, Jakarta. A helicopter and heavy equipment have also been utilized in the search efforts. Sniffer dogs are being mobilized to assist in locating survivors.

The National Disaster Management Agency reported that the heavy rains triggered a landslide and broke an embankment, causing floods that reached the roofs of houses in five villages in Bone Bolango. Nearly 300 houses were affected, and over 1,000 people have fled to safety.

Rescue agency official Ida Bagus Nyoman Ngurah Asrama confirmed that 66 people survived the incident. Local rescue official Afifuddin Ilahude warned that with many still missing and some areas unreachable, the death toll is likely to increase.

Nopri, a miner who survived, recounted his experience of being buried under about a meter of debris for eight hours. He and his companions managed to breathe through gaps in the debris and had some water to sustain them until they were rescued.

Unlicensed mines are common across Indonesia’s mineral-rich archipelago, where locals often hunt for leftover gold ore without proper safety measures. A quarter of the more than 8,600 unlicensed mines in the country are gold mines.

This tragedy follows a similar incident in April 2022, when a landslide crushed an illegal gold mine in North Sumatra, killing 12 women. In May 2023, at least 15 people died after landslides and flooding in South Sulawesi province swept away dozens of houses and damaged roads.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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