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Indonesia Ends Search After Bantargebang Landfill Collapse Kills Seven

The disaster has intensified pressure for waste‑management reform in Jakarta.

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, March 9, 2026. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana
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, March 9, 2026. REUTERS/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana
RJakarta and its satellite cities, collectively known as Jabodetabek, are home to about 42 million people and generate an estimated 14,000 tonnes of waste daily
Bantargebang, one of the world's largest open landfills, spans over more than 110 hectares and contains approximately 55 million tonnes of trash

Overview

  • Authorities said seven bodies were recovered and everyone was accounted for, with six people rescued after Sunday’s collapse at Bantargebang near Bekasi.
  • Hours of heavy rain preceded the failure that buried garbage trucks and food stalls at the massive dump outside the capital.
  • More than 300 responders used excavators, tracking dogs and thermal drones during a cautious two‑day search on unstable waste heaps.
  • Those killed included garbage truck drivers, scavengers and food stall sellers who were working or resting near the site.
  • Officials announced investigations, blamed lax local practices despite a 2008 ban on open dumping, accelerated a $3.5 billion plan for 34 waste‑to‑energy plants, and deployed BNPB cloud‑seeding to reduce further rain during operations.