Search underway for two trapped after gold mine collapses in Migori

A search and rescue operation for two people trapped in a collapsed gold mine is underway at the Masara mines in Migori County, reviving safety concerns for artisanal miners.

The two are said to have been sleeping when a mine collapsed on Thursday night, burying the house where they were under debris and sand.

Area residents say that some of the mines had shown signs of collapse, prompting some of them to clear the area.

More than 12 hours after a gold mine collapsed in the Osiri Matanda area in Migori, an excavator was pulling out debris as part of a search and rescue mission for two people who were reported missing on Thursday night.

Eyewitnesses say the mines around the area had cracks in some of the shafts, and they caved in in the dead of night, burying houses and makeshift hotels around the area.

“There were two ladies sleeping in a room there where that thing collapsed. I heard there were 3, but one got away. We even found her later in the morning, and we spoke to her,” said Matanda Artisanal Miners Chairman David Sewe.

Miner Everlyne Otieno added, “Hapo awali kulikuwa na mporomoko wa udongo hapa. Wengine walihama, wengine wakapuuza ama kweli wangeweza kuskia kitu mwenyekiti alisema enyewe hatungipata haya majanga,”

The incident has once again revived the debate on safety concerns of artisanal miners. The ongoing heavy rains are viewed as increasing the risk of possible collapse within some of the shafts, endangering the lives of miners as well as those who reside around the mines.

“The challenge we have as we speak is that there is an ongoing court case which has made it difficult to formalise artisanal mining specifically, but it is an issue that is being handled at higher levels within government,” Homa Bay County Mining CEC Simon Mganga stated.

Mining operations have been suspended around the Osiri Matanda mines, pending the completion of the search mission.