Mali Gold Mine Flood Kills 13
A catastrophic flood in southwestern Mali claims the lives of miners, including several women and children
- Victims include women and three children after a flood hit an artisanal gold mine in southwestern Mali
- Collapse of sluice gates at a nearby water reservoir sent a torrent of water into the mining tunnel
- Artisanal mining, often unregulated, remains highly dangerous in West Africa
A deadly flood at a gold mine in southwestern Mali has left at least 13 miners dead, including women and three children.
The disaster struck on Wednesday near the village of Danga in the Kangaba Cercle of the Koulikoro region, after the collapse of sluice gates from a water reservoir flooded the tunnel where miners were extracting gold remnants.
The National Union of Gold Counters and Refineries (UCROM) confirmed the deaths on Saturday, describing the situation as dire.
“There were many women inside. We spent the entire day draining the water to begin recovering the bodies,” said UCROM Secretary General Taoule Camara.
Artisanal gold mining, prevalent in West Africa due to rising gold prices, remains a dangerous activity, with unregulated mining practices leading to frequent accidents.
Just last January, a mine shaft collapse in the same region killed over 70 people.
