JAKARTA, July 8 (Xinhua) -- A senior rescuer said on Monday that 46 people went missing following landslides and flash floods at a gold mine in Indonesia's Gorontalo province.

Heriyanto, head of the provincial search and rescue office, reported an increase in the number of residents declaring their family members missing following the natural disaster in Bone Bolango regency.

"Residents continue to report their missing family members. So far, 46 people have been declared missing," Heriyanto told Xinhua.

He explained that the victims included miners and villagers who provided supplies to the miners, all of whom resided in camps within the mining zones.

"The incident occurred when they were sleeping or taking a rest at the camps," he said.

The natural disaster struck amid heavy downpours at midnight on Saturday, with 24 people surviving the incident, according to him.

He noted that a joint rescue team comprising 230 personnel has been dispatched to various locations where many victims are believed to be trapped.

The search and rescue efforts have been hindered by heavy rainfall and challenging access to the mining areas, which has prevented the deployment of heavy machinery, he added. Enditem

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