Landslide At Illegal Mine In Indonesia Claims 11 Lives, Officials Confirm

The death toll from a landslide at an illegal mine in West Sumatra, Indonesia, has been revised to 11, following initial reports of 15 fatalities. The landslide occurred Thursday evening after heavy rains, and rescue efforts were hampered by the site’s remote location, according to local disaster agency officials.

Irwan Effendy, an official from the disaster agency in West Sumatra’s Solok district, explained that the challenging terrain forced rescuers comprising police, soldiers, and civilians to walk for hours from the nearest village to reach the affected area. Miscommunication and difficulty in accessing the site contributed to the confusion over the number of victims.

Effendy confirmed that there are no individuals currently unaccounted for, which follows earlier reports of 25 people missing. Additionally, 13 others were found injured at the illegal mine site.

Illegal mining operations are prevalent in Indonesia, particularly in the mineral-rich region, where abandoned sites draw locals searching for leftover gold ore without adequate safety measures. The country is also susceptible to landslides, especially during the rainy season from November to April, though recent years have seen disasters occur outside this timeframe as well.