Jakarta, Sept. 27, (dpa/GNA) – A landslide at an illegal gold mine in Indonesia’s West Sumatra province left at least 15 people dead and 25 others still buried, an official said Friday.
Difficult terrain and limited access hampered rescue efforts following the incident on Thursday in the Solok district, with rescue workers using excavators to dig through the debris, said Irwan Efendi, head of the local civil protection agency.
Indonesia has long struggled to control illegal mining, which is often driven by poverty. These operations frequently lack safety measures and environmental safeguards, leading to accidents and environmental damage.
The Solok landslide is just the latest in a string of mining disasters in Indonesia.
In July, 46 people were killed when a landslide buried illegal gold miners and their makeshift camps in Gorontalo province.
The government has pledged to crack down on illegal mining, but enforcement remains a challenge. The vastness of the archipelago and the remoteness of many mining sites make it difficult to monitor and regulate these operations.
GNA