13 killed after garbage dump collapses in West Java town

Thirteen people were killed and dozens were missing Monday after mountains of garbage collapsed onto a neighborhood near the West Java town of Bandung, officials said.

The 10-meter-tall (30-foot-tall) heap collapsed and covered several houses near the municipal dump following days of torrential rains, killing at least 13 people and injuring six others, police Sgt. Asep Sudrajat said.

More than 100 people were believed to live in the area, he said. Scavengers who eke out a living by sorting through the refuse and reselling recyclable items also were believed to have been caught in the collapse.

Rescuers were digging through the debris by hand to locate survivors, because the use of heavy machinery could cause more casualties, Sudrajat said.

Bandung is about 180 kilometers (110 miles) southeast of Jakarta.

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