At least 12 artisanal gold miners are still trapped after the walls of a mine in Museno village, Khayega, Kakamega County caved in on them on Monday, February 3 evening.
A search and rescue operation is currently underway, with eight artisanal miners already rescued from the rubbles.
“Eight people have been rescued and are in good health. Our teams remain on the ground, continuing search and rescue efforts,” the Kenya Red Cross reports.
Shinyalu Sub-County Police Commander Daniel Makumbu has urged residents to exercise caution as search and rescue operation continues.
“The area around the collapsed shaft is fragile and we won’t allow people to congregate near the site to avoid further casualties,” Makumbu says.
Shinyalu MP Fred Ikana says all efforts are geared towards ensuring that the miners are rescued. Despite some challenges, MP Ikana says they have assembled a multi-agency team, including the Kenya Red Cross and county disaster teams, to respond to the incident.
