Landslide in Morowali

TEMPO Interactive, Morowali:Ten people were killed following the landslide in Morowali Regency, Central Sulawesi, yesterday afternoon. Around 100 other people are reported missing. Saiful Bahri, the Central Sulawesi Provincial Disaster coordinator, said the 100 missing people are mostly the staff at PT Agro Nusa Abadi, whose base is in Bunta Village, Morowali. They are probably buried or carried away by the landslide to the swamps, Saiful said yesterday. Morowali Regent Anwar Hafid said the company had brought the casualties to Kolonedalo Hospital. We have received a report that some people have been taken to hospital, Anwar said over the phone.Up until last night, the police, the armed forces and the disaster management team were still evacuating the victims. Collaborating with PT Agro Nusas staff survivors, they gave first aid to the casualties.For the past week, heavy rains fell on Morowali, a regency located 450 kilometers from Palu. Amirullah Sia, the Morowali regency government official, said the landslide took place when PT Agro Nusas staff was having lunch at one of the camps, right on the slope.The landslide, Amirullah said, suddenly covered the camp where the staff was eating and resting. A few vehicles and heavy equipment belonging to the palm oil company were also buried by the incident. DARLIS MUHAMMAD