At least five people have been killed and four others are feared missing after a massive garbage landslide at Indonesia's largest landfill in Bekasi, West Java, authorities said on Monday. The collapse occurred at the Bantargebang landfill on Sunday afternoon following heavy rainfall.
Rescuers, including police, soldiers, and volunteers, are searching through unstable waste heaps using heavy machinery and sniffer dogs. Desiana Kartika Bahari, head of Jakarta's Search and Rescue Office, said the victims included two bin lorry drivers and two food stall vendors. Four other people managed to escape.
Indonesia's Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq described the landfill as 'the tip of the iceberg' of Jakarta's failed waste management system, which has accumulated around 55 million tonnes of rubbish over 37 years. He urged the Jakarta Provincial Government to end open dumping, which violates a 2008 ban.
The Bantargebang landfill spans about 110–120 hectares and receives between 6,500 and 8,000 tonnes of waste daily. Compacted garbage forms 'mountains' up to 50 metres high. Officials have launched an investigation and vowed strict law enforcement to prevent further tragedies.
