11 dead, 19 missing in landslide in Indonesia

The landslide hit a remote village in Bone Bolango district of Gorontalo province late Saturday evening following heavy rains. At least eleven people were killed and more than a dozen people are still missing.

“Eight dead people have been evacuated. Five people survived but were slightly to seriously injured,” said the head of the local search and rescue organization, Heriyanto, who goes by only one first name. He added that three more dead people had not yet been evacuated and 19 people were still missing.

Several bridges in the area have collapsed and rescue workers have to reach the scene of the accident on foot due to the difficult terrain, Heriyanto added.

At least 180 people were involved in the rescue operation, including police officers and soldiers, it was said.

In Indonesia, landslides are common during the rainy season between November and April, but July is usually the dry season and heavy rains are rare.

In May, at least 15 people died when landslides and floods washed away dozens of homes and damaged roads in South Sulawesi province.

A landslide in the same province the previous month killed 20 people.

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