Tragedy struck a village when at least four people were killed while five others were injured after a gold mine collapsed early Saturday morning in West Pokot County.
The injured were rescued and rushed to hospitals in the area.
The incident happened at Karon village, police said.
West Pokot sub county Deputy County Commissioner Wycliffe Munanda said the miners had ventured into the pit around 3:00 a.m. when the pit caved in, burying them under the debris.
“We understand some nine people were inside the pit when it caved in.
The five who were injured have been taken to Kapenguria County Referral Hospital for treatment,” he said.
The bodies of the four deceased who included three males and one female were moved to the hospital’s mortuary for post-mortem, said Munanda.
The miners had returned to the site at night using picks and hoes, unaware that the soil had become loose after excavators had dug the pit during the day.
“They used manual tools at night not knowing the ground was unstable.
We have accounted for all the individuals who were trapped. No one is missing,” Munanda added.
West Pokot County Commissioner Abdullahi Khalif said they are making efforts to address the mining menace.
“The issue of mining must be approached carefully, and leaders must understand the laws and regulations governing mining operations,” Khalif said.
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