A quarry collapse in Cirebon, West Java, has claimed the lives of 19 people, left eight injured, and six others remain missing, according to local police on Sunday.The Indonesian search and rescue agency, Basarnas, confirmed that search efforts were still underway on Sunday, following the rock collapse that occurred on Friday.Authorities have named two suspects in connection with the incident, citing environmental law violations, failure to provide proper safety equipment, and negligence.The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry announced plans to investigate the collapse’s cause and to assess the area for any further landslide risks.Cirebon Regency is particularly prone to soil movement, especially during periods of above-average rainfall, explained Muhammad Wafid, chief of the ministry’s geological agency. He also noted that the collapse area’s steep cliff slope and the use of undercutting methods in open-pit mining may have contributed to the disaster.Wafid urged rescuers to be mindful of weather conditions and the unstable slopes while conducting search and rescue operations. “Evacuation and search activities should not be carried out during or immediately after heavy rain, as the area is still at risk of further landslides that could endanger responders,” he warned.West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi described the collapse site as hazardous and “not meeting safety standards for workers” in a post on Instagram.
