Search continues for victims of Indonesia quarry collapse; death toll at 19
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Search-and-rescue operations in the aftermath of rock collapse at a quarry in Cirebon, in Indonesia's West Java province.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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JAKARTA - A rock collapse at a quarry at Cirebon in West Java province has killed 19 people and injured eight, local police said on June 1. Six people are still missing.
Indonesian search and rescue agency Basarnas said the authorities continued their search on June 1 for people trapped in the rubble after the collapse on May 30
Police said they had named two suspects for environmental law violations, for not providing safety equipment, and for negligence.
The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said in a statement that it would investigate the cause of the collapse and conduct an assessment to identify any potential further landslides.
Cirebon regency is prone to soil movement, especially when precipitation is above normal, while the area of the collapse has a cliff slope, said Mr Muhammad Wafid, chief of the ministry’s geological agency.
Mr Muhammad said the undercutting method used in the open mining area and the steep slope may also have played a role in the collapse. “While carrying out evacuation and search efforts, (rescuers) must pay attention to the weather and steep slopes, and not carry out activities during and after heavy rain, because this area still has the potential for further landslides that could hit or bury officers,” he added.
The site of the collapse in Cirebon is dangerous and “does not meet safety standards for workers”, West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi posted on Instagram. REUTERS
