The aftermath of a catastrophic collapse of an illegal gold mine at Rosebel, Suriname, one of South America’s largest open-pit gold projects, continues to unravel as the death toll surged to 14 on Tuesday.
Surianme’s President’s grave revelation
On Monday evening, President Chandrikapersad Santokhi revealed to the National Assembly a grim account of the disaster’s toll.
He disclosed that ten lives had initially been extracted from the wreckage following the incident, which struck at 3:00 PM local time.
The catastrophe unfurled when a temporary tunnel, constructed to a considerable depth, entombed a group of gold miners.
President Santokhi, speaking on behalf of the government, expressed profound shock and extended condolences to the bereaved families.
In light of the tragedy’s magnitude, he also mentioned the possibility of declaring a day or more of national mourning.
A lethal intersection of legal and illegal mining
The ill-fated incident occurred within the gold concession of the Chinese-owned Zijing Mining, which had acquired Rosebel Goldmines from IamGold earlier in the year.
Rosebel, an iconic open-pit gold project, stands tall as one of South America’s largest. However, the presence of illegal gold miners within the vicinity has generated an ominous and precarious environment.
Santokhi underscored that, at the behest of Zijing Mining, law enforcement had taken action to remove a significant number of illegal gold diggers from the area a few weeks ago.
Their expulsion was prompted by the discovery of a substantial gold vein in the vicinity. Regrettably, reports suggest that the group of illegal miners clandestinely returned to the site shortly thereafter.
Government’s swift response
In response to the unfolding tragedy, the government dispatched police officers, soldiers, and members of the National Disaster Management Coordination Centre to provide immediate assistance.
Additionally, an investigation team led by the Attorney General has been appointed to probe the incident, shedding light on the events leading to this disaster.
Authorities have underscored that, if the need arises, Suriname may seek assistance from Brazil to bolster the ongoing rescue operation.
