24 illegal gold miners die after dam collapse in Zimbabwe

The bodies of 24 illegal gold miners have been recovered from flooded tunnels in Zimbabwe after a dam wall collapsed following heavy rain.

Up to 70 may have been trapped in the mine and the search near Kadoma continues, the government said. It has declared a national disaster.

Eight people were rescued, all but one of whom have been discharged from hospital.

Henrietta Rushwaya, who leads the country’s small-scale miners’ association, said 23 of the bodies had been identified.

According to the government’s deputy chief mining engineer, “it doesn’t seem likely” that there are any other survivors.

via Sky News