Collapse of Indonesia quarry kills 19, six still missing as rescue efforts continue
Drone view of search and rescue operations in the aftermath of rock collapse at a quarry in Cirebon, West Java Province, Indonesia May 30, 2025 in this picture obtained from social media. PHOTO: REUTERS
Listen to article
A rock collapse at a quarry at Cirebon in West Java province has killed 19 people, injured eight and there are six still missing, local police said on Sunday.
Indonesian search and rescue agency Basarnas said authorities continued their search on Sunday for people trapped in the rubble after the collapse on Friday.
Police said they had named two suspects for environmental law violations and for not providing safety equipment and for negligence.
The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said in a statement 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, the chief of the ministry's geological agency, Muhammad Wafid, said in the statement.
Wafid 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," Wafid said.
The site of Friday's collapse in Cirebon is dangerous and "does not meet safety standards for workers", West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi posted on Instagram.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Two suspected Uganda rebels killed in Kampala blast, officials say
Two suspected rebels, including a female suicide bomber, were killed in an explosion near a Roman Catholic shrine in Kampala on Tuesday morning, Ugandan authorities said. The blast occurred near the Munyonyo Martyrs' Shrine in the southern part of the city as Ugandans gathered to mark Martyrs' Day, which honours Christians executed for their faith in the 19th century. No other casualties were reported. Reported by Reuters, the Ugandan army spokesman Chris Magezi said that the attackers were believed to be linked to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Congo-based rebel group with ties to Islamic State (IS). The ADF has claimed responsibility for several bombings in Uganda in 2021. Magezi said a counter-terrorism unit intercepted and neutralised the two armed suspects in Munyonyo, an affluent suburb. One was a female suicide bomber carrying powerful explosives. Ugandan police chief Abas Byakagaba confirmed the explosion involved two individuals on a motorcycle but said no bystanders were injured. The ADF, founded in the 1990s by Ugandan Muslims, initially operated within Uganda before relocating to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where the United Nations has blamed the group for thousands of civilian deaths. Police had not immediately commented further, and no group claimed responsibility for Tuesday's blast.
Express Tribune
6 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Pakistan used own resources in 96-hour conflict with India: Gen Mirza
General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Pakistan's chairman of the joint chiefs of staff committee, speaks during an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue security summit, in Singapore, May 30, 2025, in this screengrab from a video. Photo:REUTERS Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, told BBC that Pakistan fought the recent 96-hour conflict with India using only its own resources. His remarks counter reports from Indian media claiming China's military assistance to Pakistan during the clash between the two nuclear-armed neighbours last month. General Mirza emphasised that Pakistan used equipment comparable to India's and procured some military hardware from other countries. He highlighted that previous skirmishes were limited to disputed areas and did not reach the international border. However, he continued, "This time the borders were relatively peaceful and this time the cities were hot." He argued that this lowering of threshold where cities are considered focal targets is dangerous for both India and Pakistan in any future conflict. #Pakistani Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza talk to BBC: — Kashmiri Tales (@KashmiriTales) June 2, 2025 Tensions between Pakistan and India soared after the April 22 Pahalgam attack, killing 26 in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). India blamed Pakistan-based elements without presenting any evidence, which Islamabad denied calling for an independent probe. India closed the Wagah border, revoked visas, and suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, prompting Pakistan to call it an "act of war." Explosions hit Pakistani cities on May 6–7, as India launched air attacks on Pakistan. Pakistan retaliated with Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos, targeting Indian military sites. A US-brokered ceasefire was later announced after escalating military exchanges. "This affects the trade, investment and development needs for 1.5 billion people," says Chairman Mirza. "There is no formalised conflict resolution or management mechanism at the Director-General of military operations of both countries have a hotline that is regularly used on Tuesday to exchange issues and information, and is available on currents if any untoward situation like this, and it can be used at any time. However, this is the only option available." He warned that future conflicts may not remain confined to specific regions and criticized the absence of an effective and organized mechanism to resolve Indo-Pak disputes. He continues that if there is only one defence mechanism available at all times and it faces an Indian polity with a reckless and extremist mindset, then the time window for intervention substantially decreases. He concludes by saying, "With the absence of any conflict management system, the chances of spiraling this conflict remains high". Regarding emergency communications, the chairman noted reliance solely on DGMO hotlines and expressed concern that extremist mindsets limit international intervention time. He added that global powers, including the US, have limited time left for mediation. Read Pakistan launches diplomatic offensive against India Previously, Pakistan on June 2 strongly criticised recent comments by Indian leaders, describing them as reflective of a hostile and dangerous mindset that undermines regional peace. The statement from Pakistan's Foreign Office followed remarks made by India's Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson on May 29, when he claimed that talks on Kashmir would only proceed if Pakistan 'hands over Azad Jammu and Kashmir' to India. Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said any attempt to blame Pakistan for instability in the region was disconnected from facts. 'The international community is well aware of India's aggressive conduct, including documented evidence of support for terrorism inside Pakistan,' he said.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
Collapse of Indonesia quarry kills 19, six still missing as rescue efforts continue
Drone view of search and rescue operations in the aftermath of rock collapse at a quarry in Cirebon, West Java Province, Indonesia May 30, 2025 in this picture obtained from social media. PHOTO: REUTERS Listen to article A rock collapse at a quarry at Cirebon in West Java province has killed 19 people, injured eight and there are six still missing, local police said on Sunday. Indonesian search and rescue agency Basarnas said authorities continued their search on Sunday for people trapped in the rubble after the collapse on Friday. Police said they had named two suspects for environmental law violations and for not providing safety equipment and for negligence. The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said in a statement 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, the chief of the ministry's geological agency, Muhammad Wafid, said in the statement. Wafid 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," Wafid said. The site of Friday's collapse in Cirebon is dangerous and "does not meet safety standards for workers", West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi posted on Instagram.
