A devastating landslide has struck an illegal gold mine on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, resulting in at least 11 deaths and leaving 45 people missing. Following heavy rains, the incident occurred on Sunday in the remote Bone Bolango district of Gorontalo province. Heriyanto, head of the local rescue agency Basarnas, reported that the landslide buried miners and nearby residents.
Rescue operations involve 164 personnel, including national rescue teams, police, and military forces. However, thick mud and continuing rain hamper efforts, requiring rescuers to walk about 20 km (12 miles) to reach the site. Once conditions allow, an excavator will be used.
Around 79 villagers were digging for gold when the landslide sent tons of mud cascading down the surrounding hills, burying them. Heriyanto confirmed that 23 people were rescued alive, including six who were injured, while 11 bodies have been recovered, among them two women and a four-year-old boy. Forty-five people remain missing.
In addition to the landslide, torrential rains since Saturday broke an embankment, causing floods up to 3 meters (10 feet) deep in five villages in Bone Bolango. The floods affected nearly 300 houses and displaced more than 1,000 people. Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for the National Disaster Management Agency, warned that rain is expected to continue in some areas of Gorontalo province on Monday and Tuesday, urging residents to remain vigilant.
Indonesia is prone to landslides during the rainy season from November to April, but such heavy rains in July, usually a dry month, are unusual. Illegal mining operations across the country pose significant hazards due to the lack of safety measures and the use of toxic chemicals like mercury and cyanide. Previous incidents include a landslide in North Sumatra in April 2022, killing 12 women, and a collapse in North Sulawesi in February 2019, which buried over 40 people.
