Solok, Sep 27 (V7N) – At least 15 people have been confirmed dead, and seven others are missing after an illegal gold mine collapsed in Indonesia's West Sumatra province. The collapse occurred following landslides triggered by heavy rains in the Solok district on Thursday evening, according to Reuters.

Irwan Effendi, head of the provincial disaster agency, said rescue operations began early Friday morning, with teams from both the police and the army working to locate the missing and recover the bodies of the victims. Due to the remote location of the mine, rescue workers faced an arduous eight-hour journey to reach the site.

Effendi estimates that 25 people were present in the mine at the time of the disaster. Along with the 15 fatalities, three people were injured, and seven remain unaccounted for. The search for the missing individuals is ongoing.

Small-scale and illegal mining activities are widespread in Indonesia, often operating with little oversight, which frequently leads to accidents. Authorities in the mineral-rich region face significant challenges in controlling and regulating these mines.

END/RH/AJ