Tunnel tragedy worst in Lampung

BANDARLAMPUNG, Lampung: An accident in the construction of the Batu Tegi reservoir in Pulau Panggung district, Tanggamus regency -- in which 13 workers were killed and 33 others lightly and seriously injured -- was the biggest occupational accident in Lampung.

No other accident in Lampung had claimed 13 lives before, a local manpower official was quoted by Antara as saying here Saturday.

"The Batu Tegi tragedy may even be called the biggest in this century. It took several days to evacuate the dead buried in mud in the tunnel," he said.

The accident on Nov. 9 was triggered by the collapse of some of the beams in the tunnel.