Indonesian mine collapse kills scores of workers

A landslide and mine collapse at an unlicensed goldmine in Indonesia’s North Sulawesi province overwhelmed and trapped miners working in it on Tuesday 26 February. Even after some days of rescue effort it is unclear how many workers were actually inside the mine. So far, rescuers, often working with bare hands and hand tools due to the remote location, have said that 7 people have died while another 19 have been rescued, some of whom are badly injured. It is estimated that another 50 workers may still be trapped underground. The number of small and often unauthorised mining is rising throughout Indonesia as workers struggle to secure employment in other areas. Workers at these illegal mines are then at the mercy of landslides, tunnel collapses, flooding and exposure to dangerous chemicals.