Up to 30 people were trapped underground, after a collapse in a gold mine in Santander de Quilichao, located in the south-west of Colombia. So far twelve people have been recovered dead and rescue crews continue to search for survivors in the rubble and mud that covered the area, with the help of trained search dogs.
According to the Cauca governor Temistocles Ortega, miners used heavy machinery to dig holes in the ground for gold extraction. A wall on one of them caved in, covering the area with tones of mud and stones trapping at least 30 people underneath. Due to the size of the collapsed area, access in the mine has been difficult. Authorities had previously invaded the illegally operating mine in February, taking hold of many of the backhoes working there, nevertheless the mine continued operating.
In another illegal mine last Friday, poisonous gases suffocated four workers and affected 65 in the north-west of the country. Many of those mines do not comply with regulations and are controlled by guerilla groups and criminal gangs, polluting the water supply and scaring the landscape. The government has not been able to address the problem of environmental damage and human rights' violation, receiving international criticism.
Sources: colombiareports.co, nytimes.com, bbc.com
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