Jakarta: Indonesian search and rescue teams are continuing their efforts to locate eight individuals still missing after a quarry collapse in West Java that has left at least 17 people dead and six others injured, authorities said Sunday.
The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) reported that the casualty figures are still preliminary, based on information provided by the victims’ families. The incident occurred Friday in the Cirebon Regency.
West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi said the quarry site where the accident took place was hazardous and lacked proper safety standards for workers. He shared his remarks on Instagram, highlighting the urgent need for safety reforms.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources announced that it would launch an investigation into the cause of the collapse and assess risks of further landslides. The ministry’s geological agency head, Muhammad Wafid, explained that the region is particularly vulnerable to soil movement, especially during periods of heavy rainfall.
He pointed to the steep cliff slope and the undercutting mining technique used in the area as possible contributors to the disaster. Wafid emphasized that ongoing rescue efforts must consider weather conditions and terrain instability, warning against operations during or immediately after rainfall due to the persistent threat of additional landslides.
Rescue teams continue to work under dangerous conditions as the search for survivors and victims progresses.
