KIGALI, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Rescue efforts continued Thursday for six artisanal miners reported missing after a quartzite mine collapsed on Wednesday in southern Rwanda, a local official said.
The accident occurred in the Kinazi sector in Huye District on Wednesday evening, according to Annonciata Kankesha, the district's vice mayor in charge of social affairs.
"The victims were operating in an underground tunnel at an illegal mining site. After learning about the incident, rescue teams have launched efforts to rescue the victims," she told reporters.
Kankesha said the tragedy could have been caused by flooding.
Local residents said the tunnel is estimated at between 60 to 80 meters deep, and illegal mining activities have been going on at the mine for the past four years.
Families of the victims appealed to the government to "ensure proper safety mechanisms for those doing mining activities."
Being the second largest revenue earner in the country, the mining sector is undergoing a state of transition from artisanal to semi-mechanized mining, according to the regulatory body, the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board.
Accidents are often reported at artisanal mining sites, where miners work discreetly to avoid inspection from authorities. ■