A local official on Wednesday said at least five people have been killed and several others injured when an informal gold mine caved in and buried them alive in northern Kenya.
Authorities had closed the Hillo subsistence gold mine near the Ethiopian border in March after several people were killed in clashes between local communities over access to the area, but miners have continued to dig at the site.
Around 1,000 people overpowered security forces and invaded the area on Monday evening, said David Saruni, Marsabit County deputy commissioner.
“They dug an abandoned site which collapsed and buried five bodies that were recovered,” Saruni said late on Tuesday.
Village elder Alio Guyo said nine bodies had been recovered from the rubble, which included five Kenyans and four Ethiopians.
