By Mahmut Atanur
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AA) - Three miners died and 43 others went missing when a landslide occurred in Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, the country’s disaster agency said Wednesday.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said 14 injured miners were rescued from the debris of the unauthorized gold mine located in Bolaang Mongondo Regency in North Sulawesi.
Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for BNPB, said in a statement the challenging land conditions and falling rocks hinder rescue activities although the buried miners’ voices can be heard under the debris.
Landslides and flooding are common in Indonesia, especially during the monsoon season between October and April, when rain lashes the vast tropical archipelago.