15 Dead, 25 Buried in Illegal Gold Mine Landslide on Sumatra Island, Indonesia

Landslide Occurs in West Sumatra Province, Sumatra Island
Heavy Rainfall Causes Landslide Despite Not Being Rainy Season

Photo taken immediately after a landslide. The photo is unrelated to the recent landslide. [Photo by Reuters Yonhap News]

A landslide occurred at an illegal gold mine on the island of West Sumatra, Indonesia, killing at least 15 people and burying 25 others.

According to major foreign news agencies including AFP on the 27th (local time), a landslide caused casualties at a gold mine located in a remote area of West Sumatra Province on Sumatra Island. The landslide occurred due to heavy rain the previous day.

An official from the Indonesian rescue authorities said, "The landslide blocked the access road to the accident site at the remote gold mine, delaying search operations," adding, "Besides the deceased, there are also three injured, and rescue teams are currently continuing the search for those buried."

Indonesia has many illegal mines due to its abundant mineral resources. The site where this landslide occurred was also an abandoned illegal mine.

Landslides frequently occur in Indonesia during the rainy season, which lasts from November to April of the following year. Recently, landslides have also occurred outside the rainy season. In July, a landslide near an illegal gold mine on Sulawesi Island, located in central Indonesia, killed about 20 people.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.