The death toll from the collapse of an illegal mine in southern Venezuela can reach 25 deathsThe mayor of the affected area, Yorgi Arciniega, reported this on Wednesday as rescue efforts continue.
“At this moment we do not have an exact number. We are talking about 25 dead and 15 injured,” the mayor of the municipality of Angostura said in a message sent to AFP. Previously the regional government had spoken of two deaths and as many injuries.
The collapse occurred on Tuesday afternoon and several miners were trapped in the mine, located in the municipality of Angostura, in the state of Bolívar, about 460 kilometers south-east of the capital. Angostura is a difficult-to-access area where there are numerous small lakes, swamps and important rivers such as the Caroní, which powers Guri, the largest hydroelectric complex in the country.
The Bolívar region has the extensive Orinoco Belt, an area of 112,000 km2 with large reserves of gold, diamonds, iron, bauxite, quartz and coltan, covering a portion of the Amazon. Photo by AFPThe mayor of Angostura, Yorgi Arciniega, On Tuesday evening he said he intended to bring “about 30 cases (coffins)” in La Paragua, the community closest to the mine, but did not confirm the number of deaths.
In Venezuela gold, copper, diamond and other precious metal mines proliferate, But in many cases workers carry out their work in unsafe conditions.
The mining boom south of the Orinoco River has become a lifeline for nearby towns and attracted thousands of unemployed people from across the country.
In the southern states of Amazonas and Bolívar, illegal mines are growing and criminal gangs smuggling gold are proliferating, according to authorities and critics of President Nicolás Maduro’s government.
Last December, at least twelve people died after the collapse of a mine in the indigenous community of Ikabarú, in this same state, where a “partial collapse” had occurred days earlier without leaving any victims.
The Bolívar region has the extensive Orinoco Belt, an area of 112,000 km2 with large reserves of gold, diamonds, iron, bauxite, quartz and coltan, covering a portion of the Amazon.
The belt is exploited by the government, but also by illegal and criminal groups. Environmentalists denounce an “ecocide” in the area.
Over the past year, the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) have evicted approximately 14,000 illegal miners from Yapacana National Park, located in the Amazon (south).
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.