Wall collapses in Indonesia's South Sulawesi, killing 11

Wall collapses in Indonesia's South Sulawesi, killing 11

2011-12-06 04:15:49 GMT+7 (ICT)

MAKASSAR, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- Eleven people were killed on Sunday afternoon when a wall enclosing a housing construction project collapsed in the Indonesian province of South Sulawesi, officials said on Monday. Several others were injured.

The accident happened at around 2 p.m. local time on Sunday as torrential rains and strong gusts of winds hit the city of Makassar, which is the capital city of South Sulawesi province. A landslide triggered by the heavy rains collapsed a 100-meter (330-feet) stretch of wall.

The wall hit several nearby shacks and semi-permanent dwellings where people had gone to seek shelter from the rain, according to a city police official. Eleven people were killed, including a child, while 18 others were seriously injured.

While the severe weather and the landslide is suspected to have caused the wall collapse, an investigation was launched on Monday after rescue operations concluded. "There were many people killed and injured when the wall fell, so it's important that we find out from the builders how this happened," said city councilor Mudzakkir Ali as quoted by the Jakarta Globe.

Landslides usually triggered by heavy rain are common in Indonesia. At least five people were killed on Thursday when a rain-triggered landslide hit a village on the popular surfing island of Nias, located about 120 kilometers (74 miles) off the western coast of Sumatra.

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