Tragic Landslide at Indonesian Gold Mine: 11 Dead, 19 Missing

A landslide triggered by heavy rains hit an unauthorized gold mining site in Indonesia's Sulawesi island, resulting in at least 11 deaths and leaving 19 missing. Search efforts are hampered by adverse weather and difficult terrain. Informal mining activities are prevalent in Indonesia, posing significant risks to miners.

A landslide caused by torrential rains devastated an unauthorized gold mining operation on Indonesia's Sulawesi island, resulting in the deaths of at least 11 individuals, according to officials on Monday. Nineteen others are still unaccounted for.

Approximately 35 villagers were mining for gold on Sunday in a pit at a traditional mine in the remote Bone Bolango district of Gorontalo province when the surrounding hills collapsed, burying them under tons of mud, said Afifuddin Ilahude, the spokesperson for Gorontalo's Search and Rescue Agency.

Ilahude reported that rescuers managed to save five injured individuals on Sunday and recovered 11 bodies by Monday. However, the search for the 19 missing miners continues, with efforts hampered by heavy rainfall and obstructed roads covered in thick mud and debris. Three of the recovered bodies have proven difficult to evacuate.

Abdul Muhari, a spokesperson for the National Disaster Management Agency, stated that the incessant rainfall since Saturday also broke an embankment, leading to floods of up to 3 metres (10 feet) in five villages in Bone Bolango. Nearly 300 homes were affected, and over 1,000 residents have been evacuated for safety.

Informal mining practices are widespread in Indonesia, offering a fragile livelihood to many who work under perilous conditions, facing serious risks such as landslides, floods, and tunnel collapses. The gold ore processing often involves exposure to highly toxic substances like mercury and cyanide, with little to no protective measures in place.

The nation experienced a significant mining-related disaster in April 2022, when a landslide hit an illegal gold mine in North Sumatra's Mandailing Natal district, killing 12 female gold seekers. Prior to that, in February 2019, a makeshift wooden structure in an illegal gold mine in North Sulawesi province collapsed due to shifting soil and numerous mining holes, burying and killing more than 40 individuals.

(With inputs from agencies.)