Floods, landslides kill 12 in Irian Jaya<\/p>\n
JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Floods and landslides caused by three
\ndays of incessant rain in Yapen Waropen and Abepura districts
\nnear here have killed at least 12 people and injured many others.<\/p>\n
Seven victims came from Serui, the capital of Yapen Waropen
\ndistrict, and the nearby village of Kaboena, local resident Nico
\nImbiri said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The rains that began on Tuesday have also damaged dozens of
\nhouses, schools and other buildings as well as crops, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Our school in Barwaikap village was flooded with water up to
\n1 metre deep forcing us to temporarily halt school activities,\"
\nsaid Imbiri, an elementary school teacher.<\/p>\n
Antara reported that a landslide in Abepura caused the
\ncollapse of a crude tunnel being dug by 10 people in search of
\ngold.<\/p>\n
Five people were killed, four others were pulled out alive and
\none person was reported missing.<\/p>\n
They were digging the tunnel in an area where a woman
\nreportedly found a gram of gold.<\/p>\n
\"I was buried (in the tunnel) but I was still able to scream.
\nLocal residents who happened to be in the area helped me out,\"
\nsaid one survivor, Iwan Sambur, noting that she was one of the
\nlast to enter the tunnel.<\/p>\n
The head of the provincial mining office, N.A. Maidepa, said
\nthose searching for gold had been warned not to dig tunnels.<\/p>\n
They were instead encouraged to pan for gold in a stream near
\nthe site of the accident, he added.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/floods-landslides-kill-12-in-irian-jaya-1447893297",
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