The officials said on Monday that at least 12 people died and 18 went missing when heavy rain led to landslides in a gold mine over the weekend in Sulawesi island of Indonesia.
Miners and residents living close to the illegal mine were killed by the Sunday morning landslide in Sumawa district, Gorontalo province, said Heriyanto, the head of local search and rescue agency (Basarnas).
According to him, five survivors had been evacuated while 18 more individuals were being looked for by the rescue team yesterday.
“We dispatched 164 personal that comprised national rescue team, police as well as soldiers to look for those people,” he added.
Consequently, rescuers are forced to trek about 20 km per hour to reach the landslide site through a road that is covered with a thick layer of mud due to ongoing rains within its area of coverage according to Heriyanto.
He also indicated that “We will try to use an excavator once it’s possible”.
Additionally, photos shared by this agency showing affected village revealed houses flattened by this landslides.
Indonesia disaster agency (BNPB) admitted that this incident caused damage on several homes together with one bridge.
Furthermore, BNPB cautioned people concerned on Monday and Tuesday there is still likely rainfall in parts of Gorontalo province urging them remain vigilant for possible future occurrence.
In April a landslides killed no fewer than eighteen people in South Sulawesi brought about by high-intensity rains.
West Sumatra province was hit by torrential rain causing flash floods and mudslides which resulted into deaths of more than fifty persons sometime around May.
