NAIROBI-(MaraviPost)-At least two miners have died after walls of a mining shaft collapsed in Mikeyi Central sub location, Nyatike sub county, Migori County on Tuesday evening.
The chief of the area, Mr David Oula identified the two miners as Shadrack Otieno aged 27 years, and Peter Chacha aged 35.
According to Oula, 11 miners were inside the mine when the mining shaft collapsed and seven of them escaped without any injuries, while two sustained injuries.
The bodies of the two miners who died inside the mines have been moved to Migori Level Four hospital mortuary, Citizen Digital reported.
The area chief said they are yet to establish what led to the collapse of the wall of the mine adding that the investigation is underway.
The death of the two miners comes amid concern over rising cases of accidents at the gold mines in the country.
A month ago, a miner aged 25 years was rescued after getting trapped inside the mining shaft at Kopuodho goldmine in Rongo Sub County for three day.
In 2020, at least four gold miners died and scores were injured with six left in critical condition when the Migori gold mine collapsed.
In a recent interview, mining engineers of Kenya chairman Mr Joseph Komu asked the government to formalize artisanal mining in the country.
Mr Komu said artisanal mining is recognized in the Mining Act 2016 unfortunately the government has been very slow in implementing this Act.
He said the artisanal miners should be licensed so that their activities are recognized; adding that the mining committee at the county level charged with the responsibility should expeditiously help in the licensing of the artisanal miners.
Mining engineers of Kenya chairman also said a lot of challenges facing the mining sector could be solved by formalization of the sector.
Meanwhile Mr Oula has appealed to miners to be cautious when prospecting gold to avert such cases of fatal accidents at the mines.
