Contested
Death toll in Colombia illegal gold mine collapse rises to 14, 7 injured
In short
A collapse at an illegal gold mine in Nariño province, south-western Colombia, on 19 October has killed 14 people and injured 7, according to local government confirmation reported by CLS. Early reports had put the toll at at least 9. A provincial official said all buried people have been found and the search has ended.
Why it matters
The documents give the cause as a combination of recent heavy rain, fragile geology and illegal mining, according to a provincial disaster-risk official. The reports are short and give no information on any official response beyond the search operation.
Key facts
- A collapse hit an illegal gold mine in Nariño province, south-western Colombia, on 19 October. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Local government confirmed on 19 October that the death toll had risen to 14, with 7 others injured. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Earlier reports from CLS and China News Service gave a toll of at least 9 dead. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Miners were working when the hillside gave way and buried several people. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Gabriel Ocaña (加布里埃尔·奥卡尼亚) of the province's disaster risk management department said all buried people had been found, the search had ended and no one was reported missing. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether anyone is still missing Early reports from CLS and China News Service said others might be buried or missing, but the later CLS report quoted a provincial official saying all buried people were found and no one was reported missing.
- The cause of the collapse Only one official, Gabriel Ocaña, is quoted on the cause; he cited recent heavy rain, fragile geology and illegal mining together.
- A local government confirmed 14 deaths and 7 injured in the collapse, which happened on 19 October. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Business mediaCLS first reported at least 9 dead and possible further victims, citing a Nariño provincial official, then reported a toll of 14 with 7 injured and the end of the search. Yicai carried only a headline giving the toll of 14.
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Official sourcesChina News Service, compiling foreign media reports, said at least 9 had died and several were missing after miners were buried.
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Timeline, local time
- CLS reported a landslide at an illegal gold mine in Nariño with at least 9 dead and others possibly buried, with search and rescue continuing. [ 1 ]
- China News Service reported at least 9 dead and several missing after the 19 October collapse. [ 2 ]
- CLS reported the toll had risen to 14 with 7 injured, and that the search had ended with no one reported missing. [ 3 ]
- Yicai published a headline saying the death toll had risen to 14. [ 4 ]