Landslide triggered by rain leaves 12 dead and 2 missing at an illegal gold mine in Indonesia

Mud, rugged terrain and lack of telecommunications have hampered rescue efforts after a landslide set off by torrential rains smashed down into an unauthorized gold mining operation on Indonesia’s Sumatra Island, killing at least 12 people. Villagers were digging for grains of gold in the remote village in Solok district of West Sumatra province on Thursday when mud plunged down the surrounding hills and buried them. Rescuers have recovered 12 bodies, revising an earlier death toll of 15 after officials discovered that lack of communications and the remoteness of the site had affected the counting of the victims. Eleven people were injured and two others are still missing, officials said Saturday.