8 killed in Indonesia s central Java landslide

Jakarta Dec 18 (IANS) Eight workers of a sand pit in Indonesia s Central Java regency of Magelang were killed in landslide on Monday while eight others were rescued Indonesia s disaster mitigation agency BNPB said.

The agency s spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said further search for other workers possibly buried in the landslide was underway involving a task force of fire fighters military police volunteers and Magelang disaster mitigation agency s personnel Xinhua news agency reported.

"There was no rain when the landslide took place. They were excavating the sand when it suddenly occurred burying the workers. We don t know the exact number of workers in the location at that time " Sutopo said adding that the landslide occurred at around 10:00 a.m. local time.

Deadly landslides in sand pits around the location have occurred several times previously. The almost-vertical high sand walls in the pit were apparently dangerous for the workers.

"The area was more dangerous during the rainy season " Sutopo added.

Sand in the pit were sourced from materials emitted by the province s volcano Mount Merapi during its eruptions years ago.

--IANS
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