Tragedy struck Rongo, Migori County, as a gold mine in Kanga collapsed on Tuesday evening, leading to the deaths of five miners.
Deputy County Commissioner for Rongo Sub-County, George Otenga, confirmed the fatalities and detailed the ongoing rescue efforts.
The collapse, which occurred with 18 miners inside the 750-foot deep mine, resulted in immediate and ongoing rescue operations.
“We pulled out three bodies from the mines by the time we closed rescue operations, and two miners died while receiving treatment,” Otenga said.
The rescue operation, which continued late into the night, ceased around 10:30 PM after accounting for all the bodies.
Otenga explained that some miners managed to escape through alternate routes, and efforts are underway to physically account for the 13 survivors.
“We have sent out officers to locate all the survivors of the collapsed mine,” he stated.
Many of the survivors are receiving treatment in local hospitals and are reported to be in stable condition.
Commending the rescue efforts, Otenga highlighted the collaboration among various stakeholders, which was crucial in locating and rescuing the miners trapped inside the mine. However, he also issued a caution to the mining community, urging them to take necessary precautions to prevent such tragedies.
“We appeal to the miners to take necessary precautions when prospecting for gold to mitigate deaths and injuries in the mines,” he said.
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