A landslide at an illegal gold mine in southwest Colombia killed 13 people and injured seven after a slope collapsed Wednesday night in the Nariño department. The disaster occurred while Colombia is still recovering from a 7.4-magnitude earthquake on August 10 that has left 319 dead and thousands injured. President Abelardo de la Espriella has requested the United States temporarily suspend tariffs to ease economic pressure on businesses; a separate coal-mine explosion in May killed nine and injured six.
13 Dead, 7 Injured After Landslide at Illegal Gold Mine in Southwest Colombia
(Al Jazeera)
At least 13 people were killed and seven others injured when a slope collapsed at an illegal gold mine in Colombia's southwest, authorities said. The incident occurred Wednesday night in the Nariño department and prompted emergency rescue and recovery efforts.
'Because of activity inside the mine, a slope gave way and fell on the workers,' Fredy Gamez, the government secretary for Nariño, told Caracol Radio.
The landslide comes as Colombia continues recovery from a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck the country's western region on August 10. That quake has claimed 319 lives and left thousands wounded, the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management reported.
President Abelardo de la Espriella has asked the United States, Colombia's largest export market, to temporarily suspend certain tariffs to help ease the economic strain on businesses affected by the quake and its aftermath.
Separately, in May a legally operated coal mine in the Cundinamarca department suffered an explosion that killed nine workers and injured six others, highlighting ongoing safety concerns in Colombia's mining sector.
Local authorities said they would investigate the circumstances surrounding the illegal operation and the collapse as part of broader efforts to address hazardous mining practices.
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