In brief
In a grim reminder of the dangers faced by workers in Indonesia's mining sector, a landslide at a quarry in West Java resulted in the deaths of ten individuals, all employees at the site. The incident occurred on Friday morning near Cirebon, approximately 135 miles from Jakarta. Six additional workers were reported injured and are receiving treatment. Search operations were suspended due to hazardous conditions, with officials citing fears of further landslides.
The catastrophic event was linked to improper mining practices, as highlighted by Bambang Tirto Mulyono, the head of West Java's energy and mineral resources department. He emphasized that the quarry operator had previously been warned about their unsafe methods of extracting materials from the bottom of the hill, rather than following the safer top-down approach. Authorities had even cordoned off the site since February due to its failure to meet safety standards.Indonesia, particularly during its rainy season from October to April, faces a high risk of landslides. In recent months, the nation has endured several landslide-related fatalities, including an incident last month where 10 lives were lost and another in January leading to 25 deaths. The ongoing deforestation, resulting from both agriculture and illegal mining activities, directly contributes to the unstable terrain throughout the region.
