Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe searches for mine survivors as kin lose hope

CHEGUTU: Zimbabwean authorities have been nonetheless looking on Monday for survivors trapped underground when a disused gold mine collapsed final week, as some kin began to lose hope their family members may very well be saved.
Accidents in disused mines are frequent in Zimbabwe, the place artisanal or small-scale miners defy authorities by mining in outdated shafts which can be susceptible to collapse.
The most recent incident occurred in Chegutu, some 100 km (62 miles) west of the capital Harare on Friday.
Vice-president Constantino Chiwenga advised the native Sunday Mail newspaper 13 had died within the collapse on the web site which had not been correctly sealed off.
Deputy mines minister Well mannered Kambamura couldn’t say how many individuals have been nonetheless trapped underground after the 700 meter-deep mine collapsed.
“The issue is that there was no correct register to determine how many individuals entered,” Kambamura mentioned. “We’re sending one other crew to evaluate the state of affairs. We wish to account for everybody.”
State broadcaster ZBC on Friday reported that 34 miners have been trapped underground out of which 13 had managed to flee.
Dozens of distraught members of the family waited in tents, hoping for information of kin.
“Probably the most painful factor for me isn’t figuring out if my son is useless or alive…I am unable to take it anymore figuring out that he’s down there,” mentioned a weeping Reminiscence Gohwe, whose son stay trapped.
Some apprehensive kin already feared the worst.
“To be sincere we’ve got misplaced any hope of getting any survivors,” mentioned Omega Jonera, 9 of whose members of the family have been trapped underground.