At least five miners lost their lives in Narok County, southwestern Kenya, when a gold mine collapsed due to heavy rains. Rescue operations are ongoing to save other miners who may be trapped underground. The Police Commander mentioned that the progress of the rescue efforts is slow due to a lack of specialized mining equipment.
The incident occurred at Kilimapesa, the site of Kenya’s largest commercial gold mining operation, located around 180 km south of Narok Town. Concerns have been raised about safety in Kenya’s gold mining sector following a series of fatal accidents in recent years. Stakeholders are calling for stricter enforcement of safety regulations to prevent such tragedies.
Gold mining is a crucial livelihood for many artisanal miners in Kenya, but informal and unregulated operations have led to numerous deaths from mine collapses and unsafe working conditions. In a similar incident in northern Sudan, 15 people died in a traditional gold mine collapse, despite warnings to stay away from the unsafe site. Traditional mining in Sudan, a significant gold producer, faces challenges due to poor safety measures and infrastructure issues.
