Seven people have been confirmed dead, and four others are receiving treatment at Bondo Subcounty Hospital following the collapse of mine walls at Lumba Village in Rarieda Subcounty on Tuesday morning.
The tragic incident occurred at 11 am at Kasweto Goldmines in North Ramba sublocation. Siaya County Police Commander Cleti Kimaiyo confirmed the incident, noting that the four survivors were rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
Gordon Onguru, the local Member of County Assembly, was among the first to arrive at the scene. He attributed the tragedy to weak mine walls caused by the use of explosives to crack the stones in the mines.
Rarieda Subcounty Deputy County Commissioner Kennedy Lunalo stated that the miners defied directives prohibiting mining in the region following heavy rains. He explained that enforcing the ban has been challenging since many households in the area have their own mining shafts.
Lunalo emphasized the need for continued caution, urging artisanal miners to stay away from the dangerous mines to prevent future tragedies.
“We plan to traverse the sub-county to warn our artisanal miners about the dangers of the mines. A few months ago, we lost two lives in a similar incident not far from today’s site. We must act to prevent further loss of lives,” Lunalo said.
The seven bodies have been retrieved and taken to the Bondo Subcounty Hospital mortuary.
