A landslide in a remote site of Western Sumatra province on Sumatra Island killed at least 15 people and left dozens missing, after heavy rainfall in the area.
While talking to AFP, Provincial Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesperson Ilham Wahab said, “The information we can provide was that a landslide occurred at a gold mine last night, causing several people to be buried.Efforts to search for the victims are ongoing.”
Ilham said that three people were injured and 25 were still missing.
The Southeast Asian archipelago is filled with unlicensed mines. Ilham couldn’t confirm whether the site in question was legal or illegal.
He said that all the activities at the site are halted as of now, and the search efforts for the missings are underway.
Ilham could not confirm if the mine in question was illegal but said all activities at the site had been halted as search efforts for the missing were ongoing.
These abandoned sites in the region attract locals who hunt for leftover gold ore without proper safety equipment.
Search efforts were delayed due to the remote location, with rescuers—police, soldiers, and civilians—walking hours from the nearest village to reach the site.
“The location is quite far, the terrain is tough. This has hampered evacuation efforts but people are helping so that this evacuation process can be carried out quickly,” he said.
Indonesia is prone to landslides during the rainy season, typically between November and April.
In July, a landslide at an illegal gold mine on Sulawesi Island killed at least 27 people.
Similarly, in May, flooding and landslides in South Sulawesi province left at least 15 dead and swept away dozens of houses and roads.

You may have heard that the earth vibrated for nine days in 2023 and the event puzzled scientists across the globe. If you want to know about it, then you are at the right place. In September 2023, a melting glacier in eastern Greenland triggered a massive landslide, leading to a 650-foot-high mega-tsunami. This occurred in Dickson Fjord, a remote part of Greenland, and was caused by the destabilization of a glacier at the base of a 4,000-foot mountain. Due to climate change and rising global temperatures, the glaciers had been gradually thinning. When the glacier finally gave way, it sent a colossal amount of debris tumbling into the fjord, displacing enough material to fill around 10,000 Olympic-sized pools.

Mysterious Global Vibrations Detected

Following this event, scientists noticed an unusual global phenomenon: a persistent ground vibration lasting nine days. Unlike earthquake tremors, which are usually brief and intense, this signal was a continuous, low-frequency hum. Seismologists from across the globe were puzzled by the unfamiliar pattern, initially believing it to be a glitch in their equipment.

Collaborative Global Investigation

The unexpected signal sparked a year-long investigation by a group of 68 scientists from 15 different countries. By analyzing seismic readings, satellite data, and computer simulations, they identified the cause. The vibrations were the result of a “seiche,” a rhythmic wave motion that occurs when water sloshes back and forth within an enclosed space. The mega-tsunami’s waves became trapped in the narrow fjord, causing the water to oscillate for over a week. This movement generated seismic energy that travelled across the globe.

Warning of Climate Change Impact

The findings highlight the ongoing and unpredictable impacts of climate change in the Arctic. The melting glacier that triggered the landslide is a reminder that the region is entering “uncharted waters” as global temperatures continue to rise, with severe consequences for ecosystems and human populations alike.