By Elvis Lagat
A tragic incident has claimed the lives of five female miners after a gold mine collapsed in the North Ramba area of Rarieda Sub-county in Siaya County. The incident occurred on the evening of Monday, March 3, when six women were trapped after the mine caved in while they were engaged in their usual mining activities. One miner remains missing, and rescue efforts are ongoing as officials fear she may also be dead.
The mine, located in Lumba village, was a 15-foot-deep tunnel on private land. Despite repeated warnings about the instability of the area, the miners continued to work there, hoping to extract gold. The collapse occurred around 9:00 PM, burying the women alive.
Siaya County Police Commander, Serah Koki, confirmed the incident, stating that a rescue team from various agencies had been dispatched to the site to assist in recovering the trapped miners. By the end of the day, five bodies had been retrieved, while efforts to locate the missing woman continue. The bodies were taken to the Bondo Sub-county hospital mortuary, where an autopsy is expected to be conducted.
Caroline Oginga, an elder from Lumba village, spoke to the media, revealing that the women had been warned multiple times about the dangers of working in the abandoned and unstable mine. “They had been warned not to enter the mining area, but they ignored the warnings and were immediately buried when the mine collapsed,” Oginga said. She added, “When I arrived at the scene, the bodies had already been retrieved. This was not an officially recognized mining area; it was part of someone's farm that these women had invaded to mine for gold.”
This devastating accident has drawn attention to the ongoing safety concerns surrounding informal mining activities in the region. Just a week ago, three miners lost their lives in a similar mine collapse in the Rera village of Gem Wagai Sub-county, further raising alarm about the hazardous working conditions in these unregulated mining sites.
The collapse in Lumba is yet another reminder of the dangers that miners face in the region, particularly as they continue to operate in unsafe, unauthorized locations. Local authorities and safety officials have urged miners to be more cautious and avoid working in unstable areas, but many continue to take the risk in search of precious metals.
As the community comes to terms with the loss, the county government and police have pledged to investigate the incident and enforce stricter measures to ensure the safety of miners in the area. The tragedy underscores the urgent need for greater regulation and safety protocols in Kenya’s informal mining sector, which remains a significant source of livelihood for many in rural areas.
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