Search called off after Indonesia landfill collapse kills seven

JAKARTA

Indonesian rescuers have called off the search for victims of a landslide at the country's largest open landfill after pulling seven bodies out from under debris, an official said on March 10.

Rescuers recovered three bodies on March 8 and four more on March 9, Jakarta search and rescue agency head Desiana Kartika Bahari said in a statement.

Six people were also rescued alive after the collapse March 8 afternoon at Bantargebang, a landfill just 25 kilometers outside the capital, that buried trucks and food stalls.

Rescuers used backhoes, tracking dogs and thermal drones to search for victims, she said. Everyone has now been accounted for.

The collapse happened after hours of heavy rain in the area, local media reported.

To reduce rain intensity, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) announced it would conduct a "weather modification operation," which typically involves using helicopters to "seed" clouds with sodium chloride to encourage premature rainfall over the sea rather than over the capital.

Jakarta and its satellite cities, collectively known as Jabodetabek, are home to about 42 million people and generate an estimated 14,000 tons of waste daily.

Bantargebang, one of the world's largest open landfills, spans more than 110 hectares and contains approximately 55 million tons of trash, according to a local environment agency official.