Landslide in Papua: search for 14 gold graves due to rainfall

Landslide in Papua: search for 14 gold graves due to rainfall

heavy rains have temporarily stopped the rescue operation after a devastating landslide in the remote region of Papua, Indonesia. Today, on May 19, 2025, the Indonesian rescue workers report that they had to hire the search for 14 missing gold graves after at least six people lost their lives on a Friday and four others were injured. The landslide occurred around 9:00 p.m. (1200 GMT) in a temporary residential area of ​​traditional gold graves, where the earth masses were triggered by the heavy rains, which also led to floods. Because of the extreme weather conditions, the access routes to the scene of the accident are severely restricted, which makes the rescue work considerably more difficult.

already 40 rescuers, including the police and the military, are in action, but the journey to the scene of the accident is difficult because it takes up to 12 hours from the next city. Local authorities plan to resume the search on Tuesday, provided the weather conditions improve. Indonesia is particularly susceptible to landslides during the rainy season, which typically lasts from November to April. This is not the first incident of this kind; In September last year, 13 people died of an illegal gold mine in West-Sumatra, and in July 2024 at least 27 people died in a similar misfortune on Sulawesi, such as Mainichi.jp reported.

frequent risks from illegal mines

The ongoing problem of illegal gold mines in Indonesia brings with considerable security risks. These unlicensed mining practices are widespread and increase the likelihood of serious accidents such as landslides and floods. The official information on the legal status of the affected mine in the current incident is not yet known. The dangers for the survivors are also high: the mine shafts are often unsecured and the workers have no access to protective measures against toxic substances such as mercury or cyanide.

The national disaster protection authority reports that 11 people died in previous landslides, such as that in Suwawa in July 2024 and 19 are missing. Around 35 villagers worked in the gold mine there. The rescue campaigns were also significantly disabled by heavy rains and blocked roads. Ultimately, the repeated tragedy, which is caused by informal mining practices, requires an urgent review of the security guidelines and the regulation of mining in the region to prevent future catastrophes, such as tagesschau.de underlined.

Indonesia faces increasing challenges. In May, at least 15 people were killed in other landslides and floods in South Sulawesi. This continuous cycle of natural disasters, in conjunction with illegal mining practices, requires urgent measures from local and national authorities to protect the life of the affected population and to avoid similar tragedies in the future