Indonesia Seeks 19 Missing Following Papua Gold Mine Landslide

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• Heavy rains triggered a landslide late Friday at a small-scale mine.
• The landslide struck temporary shelters utilized by miners.
• One fatality and four injuries reported from the landslide in the Arfak Mountains.
  

Indonesian rescue teams are looking for 19 individuals reported missing after a landslide occurred at a gold mine in Papua, a region in the far east of Indonesia, according to officials on Monday.

The landslide was triggered by heavy rainfall late Friday in a small mining operation operated by local residents in the Arfak mountains of West Papua province, stated Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for Indonesia’s disaster management agency.

This catastrophic event impacted temporary shelters housing miners, resulting in one death and four injuries, with an additional 19 people unaccounted for, he noted.

Officials reported that at least 40 rescuers, including police and military personnel, have been mobilized to assist in the search for the missing individuals.

In Indonesia, small-scale and often illegal mining operations frequently lead to accidents, particularly in remote areas where regulatory oversight is challenging.

Rescue operations commenced on Sunday, as it took emergency teams approximately 12 hours to reach the site, explained Yefri Sabaruddin, head of the local rescue team, to Reuters on Monday.

“Damaged roads, steep mountain tracks, and adverse weather conditions significantly hindered our efforts,” Yefri stated.

He cautioned that the number of casualties could increase.

In a similar incident last September, at least 15 individuals lost their lives when an illegal gold mine collapsed in West Sumatra province due to a landslide caused by heavy rains.

Another landslide at a gold mining site on Sulawesi island resulted in at least 23 fatalities last July.