Landslide at Indonesian gold mine leaves 19 missing Rescue efforts underway

Indonesian rescue teams are still searching for 19 people missing after a deadly landslide struck a small-scale gold mine in the eastern province of West Papua on May 16. 

The landslide, triggered by torrential rains, engulfed a makeshift mining settlement in the remote Arfak mountains. The mine, operated by local residents, was severely hit, killing at least one person and injuring four others. Authorities fear the number of casualties may rise as rescue operations continue under difficult conditions, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

"The damaged roads and mountainous tracks as well as bad weather hampered the rescue efforts," Yefri Sabaruddin, head of the local search and rescue agency said, noting that due to these issues search operations only started on May 18. 

According to him, it took more than 12 hours for teams to reach the site. At least 40 personnel, including police and military units, are involved in the operation.

Indonesia’s Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said the area is prone to landslides, especially during periods of heavy rainfall, which are common in the country’s tropical climate. He noted that the landslide buried several temporary shelters used by miners.

Indonesia, one of the world’s top producers of gold and other minerals, has long struggled with safety concerns in its informal and illegal mining sectors. Many of these sites operate without regulation in remote, mountainous areas, making oversight and emergency response challenging.

By Sabina Mammadli