On Friday, an illegal gold mine collapsed in the Dabel area situated in Kenya’s northern region and near the Ethiopian border, killing five miners. The Hillo mine collapse, caused by a landslide, left the miners dead on the spot, according to Marsabit County Police Commander Patrick Mwakio. At the moment, no other miners have been found. It is also not known if more are missing. Despite a ban on mining activities in March by Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki, following clashes that killed seven people, mining continued illegally. The mine also lacked an environmental impact assessment and was deemed structurally weak, meaning that its use was illegal. The region’s residents reported this development to the authorities but no action was taken and many of them blame this inaction for the tragedy, claiming it could have been prevented.
SOURCE: AP NEWS
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