Indonesia Gold Mine Collapses After Landslide, Resulting in 15 Fatalities – Reuters

At least 15 individuals lost their lives in the collapse of an illegal gold mine in West Sumatra, Indonesia, following a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall. An official reported on Friday that rescue teams are currently working to locate seven people who remain missing.

Illegal and small-scale mining operations frequently lead to accidents in Indonesia, where mineral resources are often found in remote locations that are challenging for authorities to oversee.

The mine in the Solok district collapsed on Thursday evening due to the landslide, according to Irwan Efendi, the head of the provincial disaster agency. Rescuers face an eight-hour trek to reach the site, which is not accessible by road. Efendi noted that the victims were local residents engaged in manual gold mining.

He estimated that around 25 people were present in the mine when the incident occurred; of those, 15 have been confirmed dead, three are injured, and seven are still unaccounted for. Police and military personnel initiated a search operation early Friday while also beginning efforts to recover the deceased.