Zambia Mine Collapse Claims 10 Lives Many Others Reported Missing

Photo : AP

At least 10 people have died and an unknown number are missing following a mine collapse in central Zambia, according to police reports on Monday. The incident took place in the Mumbwa district, located approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) west of the capital city, Lusaka. While authorities are actively conducting rescue operations, the exact number of miners who were underground at the time of the collapse remains unclear.

Charity Munganga Chanda, the police commissioner for the Central Province, confirmed that nine bodies have been recovered from the site of the collapse, while a tenth individual succumbed to injuries at a local hospital. Additionally, five other miners were injured and are currently receiving medical treatment.

Collins Nzovu, a government minister and local member of Parliament, indicated that around 20 miners are currently missing and feared to be dead, although police have not officially verified this figure. The miners involved in the incident are believed to be informal workers, a common practice in Zambia's mining industry.

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This tragic event highlights ongoing safety concerns in the country’s mining sector, particularly for informal miners. Last year, dozens of informal miners lost their lives in a similar incident when landslides buried them while they were working in an open-pit copper mine in Chingola, near Zambia's northern border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

As rescue efforts continue, the focus remains on locating the missing individuals and providing assistance to the affected families. The community and authorities are hopeful for further recoveries, while the government may face renewed scrutiny over the safety and regulations governing informal mining operations in the region.