Landslide cuts off highway

Landslide cuts off highway

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: A landslide triggered by heavy rains three days ago has cut off the highway linking Samarinda and Berau in the Sangatta subdistrict.

Subdistrict chief Achmad Effendi said the landslide has buried a 25-meter section of road located in a hilly area. No vehicle can pass through, he added.

Incessant rains have hampered efforts to remove the mud. Officials fear that if the road is cleared now, more landslides will follow.

"We are waiting for the rains to stop before we go and clear the mud off the road," he said as quoted by Antara.

He added that two major companies, Kaltim Prima Coal and the state-owned oil firm Pertamina which operates in Sangatta, have committed to helping in the clearance. (pan)