Video shows deadly landslide at nickel mine in eastern Indonesia as workers flee collapsing slope

INDONESIA: A video circulating on social media shows the moment a landslide struck a nickel mining site in East Halmahera, North Maluku, forcing workers to flee as earth and debris swept through the area.

The footage, widely shared online, is attributed to a worker present at the site and is believed to have been recorded from inside a heavy road-construction vehicle, according to information circulating locally.

The video opens with a driver seated inside a truck as the slope beside the road begins to give way. The driver quickly unfastens his seat belt and exits the vehicle.

Several other workers are visible running away from the collapsing slope, while dust and soil rise rapidly in the background, partially obscuring the scene.

As the landslide intensifies, another nearby vehicle appears to be pushed sideways by the force of the moving earth before toppling.

Visibility deteriorates further as debris fills the frame, and the footage ends with soil engulfing the immediate area where the vehicles had been operating.

According to local sources, the incident occurred at the PT Mega Haltim Mineral (MHM) nickel mining site in East Halmahera.

The landslide was reported to have taken place on Friday, 16 January 2026, in the tailings area of Desa Ekor, Wasile Selatan district, East Halmahera regency.

Information circulating among residents and workers stated that three employees from PT Halmahera Transportasi Energi (HTE), a contractor operating at the site, were buried by the landslide.

As of the fifth day after the incident, one of the three workers had not been found, according to statements shared by the victims’ families.

There was no immediate official confirmation linking the casualties directly to the incident shown in the circulating video.

As of Tuesday, 20 January 2026, PT Halmahera Transportasi Energi had not issued an official written chronology or public statement regarding the incident, according to the families.

“Five days have passed, but there has been no official clarity. We are left waiting, while the company remains silent,” a representative of the victims’ families said.

The absence of an official explanation has fuelled concern among relatives, workers, and members of the local community.

The incident occurred during Indonesia’s National Occupational Safety and Health Month, which runs from 12 January to 12 February 2026.

The timing has prompted criticism and raised questions over the mining sector’s commitment to workplace safety standards and risk management.

Families of the victims urged the company to take full responsibility by disclosing a clear chronology of events and maximising search and rescue efforts.

They also called on the company to fulfil the rights of victims and their families in accordance with prevailing laws and regulations.

Community members stressed that the landslide should not automatically be categorised as a natural disaster.

They argued that landslide risks are inherent in mining operations, particularly in tailings and excavation areas, and must be mitigated through proper technical planning and oversight.

“The primary responsibility lies with the Head of Mining Engineering as the highest operational authority at the site,” representatives of the families said.

They added that safety measures, slope stability monitoring, and operational controls should be central to daily mining activities.

Observers note that incidents captured on video often intensify public pressure for transparency and accountability from mining operators.

As of the latest information available, search efforts were reportedly ongoing, although no official update had been released by the contractor or mine operator.

Authorities have not publicly confirmed whether an investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding the landslide.