Landslide, 11 Mining Workers In Muara Enim Died

The location of the landslide that killed 11 people in Tanjung Lalang Village, Tanjung Agung District, Muara Enim Regency, (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - At least 11 community coal mining workers in Tanjung Lalang Village, Tanjung Agung Subdistrict, Muara Enim Regency, South Sumatra, died as a result of being buried by an eight-meter-deep earth wall.

"Yes, some people were buried by landslides and died, all of them had been evacuated and their families were taken to their homes to be buried," said Muara Enim Police Chief AKBP Donni Eka Saputra when contacted from Palembang, reported by Antara, Wednesday, October 21.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Tanjung Agung Police, AKP Faisal Pangihutan Manulu, when confirmed, explained that the eleven victims were known to be making a kind of underground road, the eleven were crushed by an eight meter high ground wall.

Then the earth wall on the right side suddenly landslides and burdens the eleven people, the landslide allegedly occurred due to soft soil after heavy rain all night.

The evacuation process lasted three hours using heavy equipment and all victims could be evacuated on Wednesday afternoon to the nearest puskesmas, then the police team identified each victim before being handed over to the family.

Of the 11 victims who died, four residents came from Tanjung Lalang Village, two residents of Penyangkan Village and five residents from Lampung Province.

He said that in the vicinity of the incident, there were indeed many activities of residents who were managing people's coal mines every day, but the mine was classified as illegal and was often reminded by the police not to carry out mining anymore.

"During my time as the new police chief, there was an incident buried, but from previous residents' statements there had been similar incidents," said AKP Faisal added.