Tragedy Strikes as Landslide Claims Lives in Illegal Indonesian Gold Mine

A devastating landslide in an illegal gold mine on Indonesia's Sulawesi island has resulted in at least 12 deaths and left 18 missing. Emergency services, hampered by challenging conditions, are working relentlessly to rescue survivors. The incident highlights ongoing risks faced by illegal mining operations, especially amid severe weather conditions.

At least 12 people have died and 18 remain unaccounted for after a torrential downpour caused a landslide in an illegal gold mine over the weekend on Indonesia's Sulawesi island, officials reported on Monday.

The landslide, which occurred on Sunday morning in Suwawa district, Gorontalo province, claimed the lives of miners and nearby residents, according to Heriyanto, head of the local rescue agency (Basarnas). Five survivors have been rescued, while a search team is attempting to locate the missing individuals.

'We have deployed 164 personnel, including the national rescue team, police, and military, to search for the missing,' Heriyanto stated. Rescuers, however, face significant challenges, including a 20-kilometer trek through thick mud and ongoing rain, making access to the site arduous.

'We will try to use an excavator once the conditions permit,' he added. Basarnas photos reveal the devastation, with several houses flattened by the landslide.

Indonesia's disaster agency (BNPB) confirmed the landslide has damaged homes and a bridge. The agency also warned that more rain is expected in some areas of Gorontalo province, urging residents to remain vigilant against further disasters.

This incident follows another deadly landslide in South Sulawesi in April, which killed at least 18 people, and a torrential rain-triggered flood in West Sumatra province in May that claimed over 50 lives.

(With inputs from agencies.)