JAKARTA: Indonesian rescuers said on Saturday that they have put an end to the search for more than a dozen of missing persons after landslide near illegal gold mine killed at least 27.
The landslide occurred after heavy rain in a remote village in Bone Balango district on the central island of Sulawesi one week ago.
“According to rescue officials, “With the search effort called off and 15 people still missing, the toll could rise further.”
He went on to say, “The search and rescue carried out the operation for seven days according to standard operating procedure. Today is the last day,” local search and rescue agency head Heriyanto, who goes by one name, told Parami News.
He added that, “If there are signs of the missing victims with valid and accurate evidence and based on the request of Bone Balango government, we will conduct evacuation operation.”
Heriyanto said that before ending their search efforts they had consulted with these families of these missing people.
Hundreds of police officers and soldiers were deployed as part of the rescue effort but hampered by poor weather and damage to nearby bridges forcing them travelling on foot.
In a statement made earlier by a search and rescue official it was revealed some victims were miners while others were those who operated stalls near this mine.
However Indonesia is often hit by landslides during rainy season between November and April though July is normally dry with rare heavy rains.
Landslides previously in May resulted into death of at least 15 individuals whereas South Sulawesi province experienced flooding which swept away dozens houses damaging roads too.
Another landslide that took place in similar region just a month prior caused death to 20 people.
