JAKARTA, May 19 (Alliance News): Indonesian rescue teams are searching for 19 people missing after heavy rain triggered a landslide at a gold mine in Papua’s easternmost region, officials said on Monday.
The landslide occurred late Friday in a small-scale mine operated by local residents in the Arfak mountains of West Papua province, according to Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency.
The landslide struck temporary shelters used by miners, killing at least one person and injuring four others, with 19 still missing.
At least 40 rescuers, including police and military personnel, have been deployed to find the missing.
Yefri Sabaruddin, head of the local rescue team, told Reuters that the search operation began only on Sunday because it took rescuers about 12 hours to reach the remote site.
“Damaged roads, mountainous terrain, and bad weather hampered rescue efforts,” Yefri said, warning that the death toll could rise.
Small-scale and illegal mining operations have frequently caused accidents in Indonesia, where mineral-rich but remote areas are difficult to regulate.
In September last year, a landslide at an illegal gold mine in West Sumatra killed at least 15 people, while a similar disaster on Sulawesi island in July last year claimed at least 23 lives.
