< Back to all clusters
[INTERNATIONAL] · Colombia · 61 sources

started · updated

Nariño gold mine collapse kills 14 in Colombia

A landslide at an unauthorized open-pit gold mine in the El Chambero sector of Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé, Nariño, has killed at least 14 people and injured seven others. The incident occurred on the morning of Monday, October 19, 2026.

Authorities reported that 12 of the deceased were women, many of whom were heads of households. The victims reportedly belong to the same family or originated from nearby regions such as Cauca and Chocó. Search and rescue operations have concluded, though initial reports suggested more people might have been missing.

The mining site is located in a remote area of the Colombian Pacific, accessible only by boat or small aircraft, which complicated rescue efforts. The region is also characterized by the presence of armed groups, including the Jacobo Arenas Block, which complicates security and humanitarian aid.

Local officials noted that illegal gold mining has become a primary source of funding for armed groups in the region, surpassing cocaine production in profitability. This tragedy follows another mining accident in Policarpa, Nariño, in August, which killed 13 people, bringing the total deaths from informal mining in the department to 27 within less than three months.

Entities

Agencia Nacional Minera · Alex González · Defensa Civil · Defensoría del Pueblo · Iker Tinoco Godoy · Jacobo Arenas Block · Luis Alfonso Escobar · Luis Alfonso Escobar Jaramillo · Nariño · National Mining Agency · Río Coco · Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Sources