15 die, dozens trap under collapsed Indonesia mining site

At least 15 people have been confirmed dead and dozens others still trapped under the rubble after a gold mining site collapsed on Sumatra Island in Indonesia.

It was reported that a group of villagers were excavating gold in Sumatra’s Solok district when the massive mudslide occurred, burying them under debris.

According to the head of the local disaster mitigation agency, Irwan Effendoi, at least 25 people were still trapped while three have been pulled out alive with injuries.

Effendoi also stated that search and rescue teams struggled to access the worst-hit region near Nagari Sungai Abu village, as mudslides, power blackouts, and telecom disruptions severely impeded their efforts.

“The devastated mining area can only be reached by walking for four hours from the nearest settlement,” said the agency’s spokesperson Ilham Wahab added on Friday.

Notably, informal mining operations are common in Indonesia, providing a tenuous livelihood to thousands who labour in conditions with a high risk of serious injury or death. Landslides, flooding, and tunnel collapses are just some of the hazards facing miners.

This year, Indonesia has experienced several devastating landslides. In May, flash flooding led to mudslides and a deluge of cold lava through mountainside villages on Sumatra, killing at least 43 people.

Earlier, in March, heavy rains triggered flash floods and a landslide in West Sumatra, killing at least 26 people and leaving 11 others missing.

Similarly, in April, landslides on the central island of Sulawesi resulted in at least 14 deaths and three reported missing.