- Heavy rains in Indonesia triggered a landslide, killing at least 11 people at an illegal gold mine in Sulawesi.
- So far, rescue workers have rescued 23 people, but about 45 people are still missing.
- Unauthorized mining operations are common in Indonesia but carry a high risk of serious injury or death.
Landslides triggered by heavy rains hit an unlicensed gold mining operation on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, killing at least 11 people, officials said on Monday. Dozens more people were reported missing.
About 79 villagers were digging for gold nuggets in Gorontalo province’s remote Bonbolango district on Sunday when large amounts of mud poured down from the surrounding mountains, burying them, said Heriyanto, director of the search and rescue office. temporary camp.
He said rescuers rescued 23 people, six of whom were injured, and found 11 bodies, including two women and a 4-year-old boy. He said about 45 people were still missing.
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“Heavy rain has hampered rescue efforts for the dead and missing people, with roads blocked by thick mud and rubble,” said rescue official Afifuddin Ilahude.
National disaster management spokesman Abdul Muhari said heavy rains that have battered the region since Saturday also breached dykes, causing floods of up to 10 feet in five villages in Bonbolango. Nearly 300 houses have been affected and more than 1,000 people have fled.
Informal mining operations are common in Indonesia and provide a meager livelihood for thousands of people who labor in conditions with a high risk of serious injury or death.
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Landslides, floods and tunnel collapses are just some of the dangers miners face. Much gold ore processing involves highly toxic mercury and cyanide, often with workers taking little or no protective measures.
The country’s last major mining-related accident occurred in April 2022, when a landslide at an illegal traditional gold mine in North Sumatra’s Mandheling Natal district killed 12 women who were looking for gold.
In February 2019, a temporary wooden structure at an illegal gold mine in North Sulawesi collapsed due to soil movement and a large number of mine holes. More than 40 people were buried and died.