Thirteen of the 25 evacuees were confirmed dead while 12 others survived the massive landslide that hit the mining pit on Thursday, according to Basarnas' Deputy for Operation and Training Edy Prakoso.
The latest fatality evacuated from the mining pit of Sungai Abu Village in Hiliran Gumanti Subdistrict, Solok District, was identified as Sugeng. His body was rescued along with Zulmadinir who survived the disaster.
The evacuees had been sent to M.Natsir Public Hospital for medical examination, Prakoso said, adding that the continuation of the search and rescue operations, which began on Friday, was still under consideration.
To this end, Basarnas would coordinate with local governments and related agencies, Prakoso said.
Apart from that, Basarnas and its counterparts would still maintain their personnel at the Sungai Abu command post to receive reports of missing persons from local residents.
Indonesia has witnessed several deadly mining accidents involving both authorized and unauthorized pits.
On Tuesday morning, May 14, 2013, an underground training facility at a PT Freeport Indonesia copper and gold mine in Papua collapsed, resulting in the deaths of 28 people.
The Big Gossan underground tunnel collapsed while 38 Freeport workers underwent a training program. The location was near an office but far from active mining activities.
According to the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, the accident, which occurred during routine training in underground mine safety, claimed the lives of 28 people and injured 10 others.
Meanwhile, on July 7, 2024, an unauthorized gold mining pit in Tulabolo Timur Village, Suwawi Timur Subdistrict, Bone Bolango District, Gorontalo Province, was also leveled by a massive landslide.
The total number of those affected by the landslide reached 325. Twenty-seven were confirmed dead; 283 were found alive; and 15 others remained missing until the search operation was terminated on July 13, 2024.
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Translator: M.Riezko BEP, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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