At least 15 people have died following the collapse of an illegal gold mine in Indonesia’s West Sumatra province, a disaster official reported on Friday. The incident, triggered by a landslide after heavy rains, has left rescuers scrambling to locate seven individuals still missing.
Irwan Efendi, head of the provincial disaster agency, told Reuters that the collapse occurred on Thursday evening in the Solok district. “The victims are the residents who manually mine for gold,” Efendi stated, highlighting the dangers of small-scale and illegal mining operations that are common in Indonesia’s remote areas.
The mine’s location poses significant challenges for rescue efforts. Efendi explained that rescuers must undertake an eight-hour trek to reach the site, which is inaccessible by road. He estimated that approximately 25 people were in the mine at the time of the collapse.
In addition to the 15 fatalities and seven missing, three individuals were reported injured. Police and military personnel launched a search operation early Friday morning, combining efforts to locate the missing miners and evacuate the deceased.
Reuters
