A tragedy occurred in the Mabayi commune of Cibitoke province in Burundi as 15 miners were killed in an illegal gold mine collapse on Saturday.
According to the commune’s administrator, Nicodemus Ndahabonyimana, the victims were operating in underground wells when the accident occurred.
“After learning about the incident, rescue teams launched the search to rescue the victims in vain,” he said.
The administrator attributed the disaster to the Rugogo River overflowing amid torrential rainfall, which flooded the pits.
Mining disasters are frequently reported in Burundi’s northwest and northeast, where miners work at night to avoid the oversight of authorities.
