Seven killed in mine gold landslide in Indonesia

Seven people have died and five others injured after a landslide at an illegal gold mine buried an estimated 20 people, officials said on September 17.

Rescuers retrieve bodies after a landslide at gold mine in West Sumatra province where at least seven people were killed

The victims were mining gold on a bare hillside when the landslide triggered by heavy rain struck the area on the west of Borneo island, in West Kalimantan province.

Local police said they had managed to identify four of the recovered bodies and the search for other victims continues with help from local people and the victims' families.

Unlicensed mines are common across the mineral-rich Southeast Asian archipelago where abandoned sites attract locals who scrounge for leftover gold ore without using proper safety equipment.

Mining accidents occur frequently in Indonesia due to landslides, especially during the monsoon./.

VNA