Cirebon: 19 dead in a landslide in a limestone quarry

Disaster caused by improper mining techniques, according to investigations. Alarms had already been raised previously. The owner and chief engineer are suspected of negligence. Mining suspended on Mount Kuda and state of emergency declared for seven days.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) - "The ground gave way without warning. We just heard a loud crash," recalls Edit Jaedi, owner of a food stall near the quarry. Nineteen people have died and many others are still missing following a landslide at a limestone quarry on Mount Kuda, in the village of Cipanas, Dukupuntang sub-district, Cirebon regency, West Java. The collapse occurred around 10 a.m. on Friday, 30 May. According to initial investigations, the disaster was caused by improper mining techniques.

Another resident in the area, Sukardi, explained that many trucks were lined up waiting to be loaded when the accident occurred. Last Friday's landslide is not the first of its kind at the Mount Kuda mining site. A previous landslide in February 2025 did not cause any casualties, but gave the authorities sufficient reason to launch a preliminary investigation. The collapse affected a type C mining site, which involves the extraction of earth, sand, gravel, marble, kaolin, granite and other stone resources. The workers were buried along with several vehicles used to transport the materials.

According to the West Java Energy and Mineral Resources Agency (ESDM), operators extracted materials from the base of the hill upwards, instead of using the safer terraced method, which involves working from the top down to the base. This is confirmed by the authorities' ongoing investigations. The agency had already issued several warnings about the risk. ‘This type of rock must be extracted from the top down. Our inspectors have emphasised this several times,’ said Bambang Tirto Mulyono, head of the provincial ESDM office. ‘This was clearly a technical failure and unfortunately the warnings were ignored,’ he added.

The mining area is also classified as a high-risk area for ground movement due to geological instability, steep slopes and the presence of fill material in the cavities. The Geological Agency has confirmed that the region has a high probability of landslides, especially in the event of heavy rain or seismic activity. In response to these critical issues, West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi temporarily suspended all mining operations on Mount Kuda and declared a state of emergency for seven days. ‘This decision reflects our responsibility. Public safety must come first. We will not tolerate mining practices that do not meet safety standards,’ he said.

Cirebon Police Chief Sumarni said two individuals - identified only by their initials, AK (mine owner) and AR (chief mining engineer) - are suspects. The two are charged with multiple offences under Indonesia's environmental protection law, labour law, mining law and Article 359 of the Criminal Code for negligence that caused the deaths of at least nineteen people. Both could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted. Police say more arrests could follow. Six people connected to the mine's operations have been questioned, including local cooperative officials, site supervisors, truck drivers and material buyers.