A tragic landslide in West Java, Indonesia, claimed the lives of at least 10 quarry workers on Friday morning. The disaster occurred around 10 a.m. near Cirebon, located 135 miles east of Jakarta. According to the national disaster management agency, six other individuals sustained injuries and are currently receiving medical treatment.
Footage aired by Kompas TV showed excavators working through the rubble as officials conducted searches for survivors at the steep quarry site. However, searches were halted at around 5 p.m. due to poor visibility and fears of additional landslides, as reported by Mukhammad Yusron, the local military district commander. Rescue operations are set to resume on Saturday.
The head of West Java's energy and mineral resources department, Bambang Tirto Mulyono, attributed the landslide to unsafe mining practices, specifically the method of extracting minerals from the bottom of the hill upwards. He noted that authorities had warned the mining operators multiple times about adhering to safety standards, raising concerns regarding the site that the Cirebon police had cordoned off since February.
Indonesia faces a high risk of landslides, especially during the rainy season from October to April. In recent months, landslides have already resulted in multiple fatalities on the main island of Java. Deforestation and illegal mining have exacerbated soil instability, leading to increased risks for local communities.
