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Nariño gold mine collapse leaves at least 13 dead
At least 13 people died and seven others were injured following a landslide at an open-pit gold mine in the Policarpa municipality of Nariño, Colombia. The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon in the remote village of Puerto Rico.
Authorities, including Gabriel Ocaña of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), reported that the collapse of a slope or a potential internal explosion buried workers. Rescue operations involving local firefighters from Pasto, Policarpa, and El Tambo, along with community members using heavy machinery, continued through the night and concluded early Thursday morning.
Reports indicate that many of the victims belong to the indigenous Quillasinga community. The mining site was reportedly operating illegally, lacking official oversight and safety protocols. This tragedy follows a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Colombia on August 10.
Entities
Fredy Gámez · Gabriel Ocaña · Nariño · Patía River · Policarpa · Quillasinga · Quillasinga · Unidad Nacional para la Gestión del Riesgo de Desastres
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Approximately 50 people, primarily from the indigenous Quillacinga community, regularly worked in the mine near Policarpa. face.ba · www.index.hr
- [● 3 SOURCES] At least 13 workers died and seven were injured in a landslide at an illegal gold mine in southern Colombia. face.ba · www.estadao.com.br · www.index.hr
- [● 2 SOURCES] Between 200,000 and 400,000 people in Colombia are estimated to work in small, informal mines. face.ba · www.index.hr
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The landslide was caused by movements within the mine, resulting in a slope collapsing onto workers. www.estadao.com.br
- [● 2 SOURCES] Witnesses reported hearing an explosion in the open-pit mine immediately before workers below were buried. face.ba · www.index.hr
- [● 2 SOURCES] Four of the deceased were members of the same indigenous family. face.ba · www.index.hr