At least 100 people have been confirmed dead after a gold mine pit collapsed at the Kadauri gold site in Maru local government area of Zamfara State.
The tragic incident occurred late Thursday night while scores of artisanal miners were working underground. Rescue workers, supported by local residents, rushed to the scene and have so far recovered 13 bodies, including that of a relative of one of the victims.
Authorities say many more miners are still trapped beneath the rubble, raising fears that the death toll could climb. Officials explained that the collapse was likely triggered by heavy rainfall, which weakened the already fragile mine structures.
Meanwhile, a rescue mission from the Zamfara State Emergency Management Agency (ZSEMA) has confirmed the collapse in which several artisanal miners were trapped.
The Executive Secretary of ZSEMA, Bala Ahmad, however, did not give further information on the incident, which occurred on Thursday night.
He said that although he was in a meeting with stakeholders, he assured that further details on the incident would be given in due course.
According to local community leaders in a telephone interview, many artisanal miners were trapped following the collapse of the mining pits.
They said the mining pits collapsed after several hours of rain in the area.
The locals added that the number of casualties and those still trapped in the mining pits was not yet known.
They, however, said those who sustained injuries were being treated at the Maru General Hospital.
The locals also said they were working alongside state officers to rescue survivors still trapped in the collapsed pits.
