According to recent reports, a devastating tunnel collapse at a gold mine in Mali has resulted in the death of at least 40 individuals.
The incident occurred in the south-western Koulikoro region, and the number of casualties was only confirmed after investigations.
Oumar Sidibe, a local official for gold miners, described the terrifying moment of the collapse. “It started with a noise. The earth started to shake,” he recounted to the AFP news agency.
Initially, it was not clear how many lives were lost in the incident, but officials have now confirmed the death toll to be over 70, with 73 bodies discovered at the scene. Mali’s mining ministry spokesperson, Baye Coulibaly, mentioned that the provisional death toll stood at more than 40.
In response to the tragic event, the Malian government expressed their deepest condolences to the affected families and the nation as a whole. Additionally, they urged communities residing near mining sites to adhere to safety regulations and limit their operations to designated areas for gold panning.
Mining accidents are unfortunately common in Mali, primarily due to the use of unsafe and unregulated methods by miners. Despite the ministry’s strong advice against unauthorized tunneling, many miners continue to ignore the warnings.
Consequently, the ministry plans to conduct further investigations into the collapse and intends to dispatch a team to the affected area on Thursday. The purpose of the investigation is to understand the circumstances leading to the incident and to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Source: Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen
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