Landslide in drilling area causes 4 dead, 5 injured

Heavy rains since Saturday afternoon in the location of geothermal drilling in Kerinci B-1, the geothermal working area of Sungai Penuh owned by PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE), had caused landslide, killing four workers and injured five others, while another worker was still missing.

All of the victims are the geothermal area workers who were conducting the drilling when the landslide occurred, PGE said in a press statement on Sunday.

It said that all of the victims had been evacuated and sent to the nearest hospital, but those lightly injured were treated in the public health center (Puskesmas) in Lempur.

The names of the dead victims are Tri (PT PRA), Yanto (PT RPN, driver), Ahmad Saiku (PT Harco), and Nasoka (PT Air Drilling). The worker who is still missing is Miswanto (mud boy).

PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy, with the assistance of the team of the national agency for search and rescue (BNPB), local administration and local medical team, is now searching for the missing one and clearing the landslide from the area.

PGE Corporate Secretary Adiatma Sardjito said that there were 63 people working in the drilling area when the landslide occurred at around 19.30 PM western Indonesian time (WIB).

He said that the WKP Sungai Penuh was still in a stage of exploration and the landslide would not affect the geothermal production of PGE.

Editing by Benget Besalicto Tnb.