Indonesia says 7 killed in landfill collapse as rescue operation ends

Published 10 Mar, 2026 08:47am 1 min read
A drone view shows excavators operating amid garbage at the site of collapse at the Bantar Gebang landfill during a rescue operation in Bekasi, on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia. – Reuters
A drone view shows excavators operating amid garbage at the site of collapse at the Bantar Gebang landfill during a rescue operation in Bekasi, on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia. – Reuters

Indonesian authorities have ended rescue operations at a landfill collapse that killed ​seven people as all those who ‌were at the site have been accounted for, an official said on Tuesday.

A mountain of garbage collapsed on Sunday at the Bantargebang landfill, the largest in the country, after ⁠heavy rains.

Rescuers wrapped up the search ​operation at the site on the outskirts of ​Jakarta, after finding the last of seven victims buried in the landfill, said Desiana Kartika Bahari, head ​of the local rescue agency. Six people ​survived the incident.

On Monday, the agency had said that four ‌people ⁠were killed, four had survived, and five were still missing.

“We received information from police that two among those missing were safe ​and had returned ​to ⁠their homes,” Bahari said.

The casualties were truck drivers and owners of ​food stalls at the landfill site, ​she ⁠said.

More than 200 rescuers used excavators and thermal drones to find the victims during the ⁠search ​operation.

Bantargebang covers about 110 hectares and receives 6,500 to 7,000 tons of waste every day.

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