NEWS– Authorities have confirmed that at least 12 people died and 18 are missing after torrential rain caused a landslide in an illegal gold mine over the weekend in Indonesia’s Sulawesi island.
The landslide took place on Sunday morning in Suwawa district, Gorontalo province, killed miners and residents living near the illegal mine.
The Head of the local Rescue Agency Heriyanto Elliyo said that five survivors had been evacuated and added that a rescue team was still searching for 18 missing people.
“We have deployed 164 personnel, consisting of the national rescue team, Police and Military personnel, to search for the missing people,” Heriyanto said.
However, rescuers must walk about 20 kilometers to reach the landslide site and were being hampered by thick mud over the road and continuing rain in the area.
Indonesia’s Disaster Agency (BNPB) said the landslide has damaged several houses and one bridg and warned residents that rain is still expected in some areas in Gorontalo province and urge people to be alert in case there’s a further disaster.
In April this year, a landslide in South Sulawesi killed at least 18 people in South Sulawesi caused by high-intensity torrential rain which triggered flash floods and mud slides killed more than 50 people in Indonesia’s West Sumatra province in May.
Additional Reporting by Reuters.
