Landslide Hits Illegal Gold Mine in Central Sulawesi
Injuries Reported After Landslide at Illegal Gold Mine in Central Sulawesi
Kabarsaji.com – Several miners were injured when a landslide struck an illegal gold mining area in Dongi Dongi Village, Poso Regency, Central Sulawesi, on Friday, September 11. Authorities said the incident did not result in any deaths, and no miners were believed to have been trapped beneath the debris.
The slide affected people working at the site, prompting concern over whether anyone might have been buried. Information confirmed by the Palu Search and Rescue Office indicated that the miners suffered injuries from the impact of the landslide but were not covered by earth or other material.
“The information we received indicated that nobody was buried. The victims suffered injuries due to the landslide’s impact,” Rusmadi, head of the Operations Sub-section at the Palu Search and Rescue Office, said.
Rusmadi was unable to provide a confirmed figure for the number of people injured. The available information showed that those hurt in the incident had already been moved from the mining area and taken to the closest health facility for medical care.
Rescue Team Not Sent to Site
No search-and-rescue personnel were dispatched to Dongi Dongi after officials established that the injured miners had been evacuated and that there were no fatalities. The Palu office first became aware of the incident through a video circulating on social media, then conducted verification before deciding that an on-site deployment was not necessary.
“We received information through a social-media video and verified it. We found there were no deaths, while the injured people had already been treated, so we did not deploy personnel for a search-and-rescue operation,” Rusmadi said.
The decision reflects the difference between an emergency requiring a search for missing people and one in which victims have already been located and transferred for treatment. In this case, the immediate response centered on medical assistance rather than a prolonged recovery effort at the mine.
Landslides can pose a serious danger in mining areas because workers may be exposed to unstable soil, loose rock, excavated slopes, and changing ground conditions. At sites operating outside formal oversight, the risks can be harder to assess, particularly when there is limited information about the number of people present or the conditions of the excavation.
Village Head Had Not Received a Report
Dongi Dongi Village Head Kalvin Tolu said he had not yet received direct information about the landslide when contacted from Palu. He explained that he had been away in Napu, Lore, where he was hosting visitors for the Padungku harvest festival celebration.
“I apologize for not keeping track of things last night, as I was in Napu, Lore, hosting guests for the Padungku harvest festival celebration,” Kalvin Tolu said.
His comments underscored the limited details publicly available in the hours after the incident. As of roughly 12:00 WITA, or Central Indonesia Time, police had not issued a public statement on the landslide at the illegal mining site in Poso Regency.
That left several details unconfirmed, including the total number of injured miners, the severity of their injuries, and the precise circumstances that led to the slope failure. Authorities had confirmed the most critical point: no deaths had been identified, and no person was believed to remain buried at the location.
Why Confirmation Matters After a Mining Incident
Initial accounts of landslides often change as emergency officials, local leaders, medical workers, and police gather information. Images or videos shared online can quickly draw attention to an incident, but officials still need to establish whether people are missing, whether evacuation is complete, and whether conditions at the site remain dangerous.
In Dongi Dongi, the verification process led rescuers to conclude that the affected miners had already received help. The absence of a rescue deployment should not be read as a sign that the landslide was insignificant; rather, it reflected the determination that there was no immediate search operation to conduct.
The case also highlights the uncertainty that can follow incidents at illegal mining locations. Such sites may not have the same reporting procedures or safety arrangements expected at formally regulated operations, making swift confirmation from people on the ground especially important.
For residents and families seeking updates, the key confirmed information remains that several miners were injured, the victims were transported for treatment, and there were no reported fatalities. Further clarification may emerge if police or local authorities provide additional details on the cause of the landslide and the condition of those injured.
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