JAKARTA (Reuters) – At least 15 people died in the collapse of an illegal gold mine in Indonesia’s West Sumatra province following a landslide caused by heavy rain, an official said on Friday, as rescuers struggle to locate seven missing.
Illegal and small-scale mining has often caused accidents in Indonesia, where mineral resources are located in remote areas in conditions that are difficult for authorities to regulate.
The illegal gold mine in Solok district collapsed after a landslide on Thursday night due to heavy rain, said Irwan Efendi, head of the provincial disaster agency.
Rescuers must walk eight hours to reach the site, which is inaccessible by road, Irwan told Reuters, adding: “The victims are residents who mine gold manually.”
He estimated that there were probably 25 people in the mine at the time of the incident, of whom 15 were killed, three were injured and seven are missing.
Police and the military began a search for the missing early Friday, along with measures to evacuate the dead.