Motorists stranded by landslide

PALU, Central Sulawesi: A landslide triggered by a downpour blocked a main road in Donggala, brought traffic to a standstill and stranded hundreds of motorists for about six hours on Monday.

The Antara news agency reported the landslide occurred on a two kilometer section of road in the mountainous Kebun Kopi area, which links the east coast of the Donggala regency with Palu.

The traffic returned to normal only after heavy equipment from the Ministry of Public Works was sent in to clear the landslide.

The head of the provincial Public Works Agency, Mulyoto, said landslides frequently occur in the area due to logging activities in the forests along the 35-kilometer road.

Donggala Regent Sjachbuddin Labadjo blamed the logging on farmers on the Kebun Kopi highlands. (anr)