Nine people die of poisoning

Jon Afrizal, The Jakarta Post, Jambi

Nine residents of Tanahgaro village, Muarotabir district, Tebo regency, have died in the last month from suspected mercury poisoning.

The victims all suffered similar symptoms, including a fever, rash, stomach cramps and coughing. Mercury is widely used in illegal gold mining in the area.

"Just in one week, three people died," villager Masri said on Monday.

He said almost every resident in the village have developed such symptoms, but there was not much they could as the village's community health center had stopped operating two years ago

"So far, no action has been taken by the administration," Masri said.

The village, which is located in an isolated area on the perimeter of the Bukit Duabelas National Park around 300 kilometers west of Jambi city, can only be reached by river as the road into to the area is impassable.

"The health agency is trying to find out what is killing the villagers and what its causes are," Jambi Provincial Health Agency director Oscar Karim told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

He said he had initially assumed that the villagers were suffering from stomach cramps due to their unhygienic living conditions.

He said the area was known for its illegal gold mining with at least 50 mines reportedly operating there.

"Mercury might have contaminated the river and affected the people's health," Oscar said.

The villagers, he said, relied on the river for their water.