Two Dead After Landslide While Scavenging for Tin in Medan

A tragic incident in Medan, North Sumatra, has claimed the lives of two men, Rinaldi (38) and Roni Fauzi (38), who were buried by a landslide while engaged in the dangerous activity of scavenging for discarded tin. The collapse occurred in the operational area of PT Gunung Gahapi Sakti, highlighting the risks associated with informal resource extraction in industrial zones.

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We received a report of a life-threatening condition involving two people buried by a landslide of rock and soil in the PT Gunung Gahapi Sakti area.

The victims were reportedly working late on Monday night when the earth and rocks gave way, trapping them. The challenging conditions at the site, including water accumulation from the nearby Sungai Deli, significantly hampered the search and rescue operations conducted by the Medan Search and Rescue Agency.

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The condition of the incident site was quite risky because there was water accumulation at the bottom of the landslide from the flow of the Deli River, which increased the difficulty of the search and evacuation process.

Despite the difficulties, a joint team utilized heavy equipment to clear the debris while carefully conducting manual searches. Sadly, both Roni Fauzi and Rinaldi were eventually found deceased and were transported to RS Mitra Medika Yos Sudarso Medan. This incident serves as a grim reminder of the perils faced by individuals involved in such hazardous activities, often driven by economic necessity.

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After a fairly intensive search, the Joint SAR Team finally succeeded in evacuating both victims in a deceased condition.