Two dozen bodies recovered From Flooded Zimbabwe goldmine

February 17, 2019
| Report Focus News

The bodies of 24 illegal gold miners have been recovered from flooded goldmine in Zimbabwe after a dam wall collapsed following heavy rain.

Henrietta Rushwaya, leader of the country’s small-scale miners’ association, said 23 of the bodies have been identified since the disaster on Tuesday near Kadoma.

At least Eight people were rescued from the flooded tunnels, and all but one have been discharged from a hospital after treatment.

According to the Zimbabwean government, $200,000 (£155,000) is needed to complete the rescue effort – with a spokesman urging “well-wishers” to donate body bags, masks and gloves.

The government is continuing its search, saying up to 70 goldminers may have been trapped after a dam wall collapsed and water rushed into nearby mining tunnels.

Large groups of people using picks, shovels and hoes are commonly seen in Zimbabwe’s mineral-rich fields.

The miners operate without regulation. Illegal mining has become rampant in a country where many people are unemployed.