Bantargebang Tragedy and Jakarta's Growing Waste Crisis

Jakarta — The collapse of a massive waste heap at the Bantargebang Integrated Waste Processing Facility (TPST) in Bekasi City, West Java on Sunday 8 March 2026 has again highlighted the fragile condition of Indonesia’s largest landfill.

The incident, which occurred around 14:30 WIB, claimed four lives. As of Monday 9 March 2026, five other individuals remained missing and presumed buried under waste material.

This was not the first such incident. A similar landslide had previously occurred in November 2025.

The collapse happened whilst several waste trucks were queuing to deposit their loads at the disposal area. Eko Uban, a rescue officer with Bekasi City Fire Department, stated that the landslide occurred suddenly during disposal operations.

“When the waste trucks were queuing to dump their loads around 14:30 WIB, the waste pile suddenly collapsed, burying the drivers who were waiting to dispose of their waste,” Eko said when confirmed on Sunday.

The collapsed waste material did not only strike the truck drivers waiting in the queue. Residents in the surrounding area, including those in a shop near the disposal site, also became victims.

Four people were found dead, four others survived, whilst five remain missing. The search and rescue operation continued with multi-agency teams from Monday morning onwards.

A total of 15 excavators were deployed to clear the waste pile in the collapse zone. Officers systematically combed through the site in stages to ensure no victims remained buried.

Akhmad Rizkiansyah, Head of Operations at the Jakarta Search and Rescue Office, stated that hundreds of personnel were involved in the search and rescue operation.