Four people, including a 14-year-old, lost their lives when a gold mine collapsed in the Kampi Karayi area of Pokot Central, West Pokot County, on Thursday afternoon.
The incident left an unknown number of miners trapped underground. Emergency services, alongside local residents, are on site conducting rescue operations.
The collapse occurred during artisanal mining activities and marks the second such accident in the Kambi Karayi area.
4 Killed, Several Feared Trapped After Gold Mine Collapses in Kambi Karaya in West Pokot. Photo: Courtesy.
In June, one person was confirmed dead and dozens feared buried when a gold mine collapsed at the same Kambi Karaya site.
The tragedy came just days after four people died and several others were injured in a similar collapse in Turkwel, also in West Pokot County.
The Turkwel incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, June 7, and was confirmed by West Pokot County Commissioner Khalif Abdullahi.
Abdullahi stated that the mine caved in around 3:00 a.m., trapping miners inside.
Among the deceased, three were male and one female, while the injured were rushed to Kapenguria County Referral Hospital.
Reports indicated that the miners had returned to the site at night with picks and hoes, unaware that the soil had become unstable following daytime excavation by heavy machinery.
The county commissioner attributed the incident to the rampant illegal mining in West Pokot and criticized local leaders for allegedly inciting residents against police officers who were conducting rescue operations.
