Indonesian rescue workers announced today that they have ended the search for more than a dozen people missing after a landslide near an illegal gold mine killed at least 27 people.
The landslide hit the village of Bone Balango in the central island of Sulawesi a week ago after heavy rains. With the search ended and 15 people still missing, the number could rise even higher, according to emergency officials. “The search and rescue operation was carried out for seven days according to the operational procedures. Today is the last day,” Heriyanto, head of the regional search and rescue agency, told AFP. “If there is a sign of missing persons, there is good evidence based on the request of the Bone Balango government, we will start the work of deportation. »
He said the agency consulted with the families of the missing before calling off the search.
Hundreds of police and military personnel were deployed as part of the rescue operation, which was hampered by bad weather and damage to a nearby bridge that forced rescuers to travel on foot. An investigation and rescue official said some of the victims were the bombers while others were workers near the mine site.
Indonesia is prone to landslides during the rainy season, between November and April, but July is usually dry and heavy rains are rare. In May, at least 15 people died after landslides and floods in the South Sulawesi region swept away houses and damaged roads.
A month earlier, a landslide killed 20 people in the same area.
