·

Landslides leave 5 dead, 8 missing in Batang Toru, Indonesia

landslide-5-dead-8-missing-batang-toru-indonesia

Several landslides hit the Batang Toru hydropower plant area in Marancar, the South Tapanuli District of North Sumatra, Indonesia, on Thursday, April 29, 2021. Five fatalities have been reported, while eight others are still missing as of Monday, May 3, 2021.

Landslides occurred in the area due to heavy rainfall, according to the disaster agency BNPB. 

Two buildings, a vehicle, and 13 people were buried in the rubble. Five of the victims have been found dead, while eight others remain missing. 

Toto Mulyono, head of the Medan SAR Office, said 10 of the victims were from the same family. Three others are still unidentified.

As of Monday, search and rescue operations are ongoing.

The incident has also raised concerns over the safety of the hydropower plant site, which has been pointed out by conservationists for its potential harm to orangutan species. It is the only known habitat of the critically endangered Tapanuli in Sumatra.

This was not the first time that the China-backed project was hit by disaster. In December 2020, a series of landslides hit the area, sweeping away a local who was operating an excavator to clean up an earlier landslide. 

A database managed by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources shows that the site is an area with a medium to high risk of landslides due to hilly terrain and poor drainage.

Featured image credit: BNPB

If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.

Share:


Your support makes a difference

Dear valued reader,

We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.

The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.

If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.

Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum. Other support options include Patreon pledges and sending us a one-off payment using PayPal.

Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Teo Blašković

$5 /month

  • Ad-free account
  • Clean user interface and fast browsing
  • Direct communication with us via chat and email
  • Suggest new features, content and applications
  • Early access to new apps and features

$50 /year

$10 /month

  • Ad-free account
  • Clean user interface and fast browsing
  • Direct communication with us via chat and email
  • Suggest new features, content and applications
  • Early access to new apps and features

$100 /year

$25 /month

  • Ad-free account
  • Clean user interface and fast browsing
  • Direct communication with us via chat and email
  • Suggest new features, content and applications
  • Early access to new apps and features

$200 /year

You can also support us on Patreon

support us on patreon

or by sending us a one-off payment using PayPal:


Commenting rules and guidelines

We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:

  • Treat others with kindness and respect.
  • Stay on topic and contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way.
  • Do not use abusive or hateful language.
  • Do not spam or promote unrelated products or services.
  • Do not post any personal information or content that is illegal, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate.

We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *