At least three gold miners died after the walls of an underground mine collapsed in Manyatta Village, Vihiga County.
Police said two others escaped with injuries in the Thursday incident. They were pulled out alive and rushed to hospital.
The site is among many discovered in the area and where locals venture to make a living.
Officials however say the tunnels where the miners venture are unsafe for their operations.
Vihiga County Commissioner Felix Watakila visited the site and called on the community to observe safety regulations, adding that they will launch a crackdown on all unlicensed mining activities.
The officials said the miners were using heavy machines to crush stones in their artisanal activities, overlooking the environmental impact.
As part of efforts to address the menace, which is common at such sites in Migori, Kakamega, Nandi and Isiolo, government officials have always directed those involved in the mining activities to stop operations for the National Environmental Management Authority to conduct an environmental impact assessment to give the ecological guidelines before mining operations can resume.
