BNPB: One Dead and Heavy Equipment Buried in Landslide at PT IMIP Site

A landslide struck an industrial zone in Morowali Regency, Central Sulawesi, killing one person, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has reported.

BNPB Head of the Data, Information and Disaster Communication Centre Abdul Muhari said in Jakarta on Friday that the incident occurred within the operational area of PT Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) in Labota Village, Bahodopi District.

BNPB confirmed that the landslide hit an operational zone, burying a worker under debris. The worker was subsequently found dead. In addition to the fatality, several pieces of heavy equipment were reportedly buried by the earth movement.

According to Abdul, the evacuation process was carried out with close attention to safety considerations, given the still-unstable condition of the landslide material, by a joint search-and-rescue team in Morowali.

Based on updated data as of Thursday (19 February), the SAR team successfully located the victim and carried out identification procedures, after which the remains were promptly handed over to the family.

BNPB is coordinating with the local government and relevant parties to ensure that emergency response operations proceed optimally and to minimise further risks at the site.

The public and industrial estate operators have been urged to heighten vigilance against the potential for hydrometeorological disasters, particularly in areas with unstable soil conditions prone to landslides.