LILONGWE, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- At least eight people were killed and five others injured when an informal gold mine collapsed Tuesday in Kasungu, about 150 km north of Malawi's capital, Lilongwe, authorities said.
The collapse occurred on the outskirts of the Kasungu District after one of the miners used a drilling machine to dig for gold, triggering heavy vibrations, local residents told the media.
"Following the vibration, the walls of one of the trenches fell from a height of about 15 feet, burying people who were down there," a village headman said, adding that 13 miners had been trapped, but the rescue was swift as they were in the same location.
Police in Kasungu reported that the victims included men, women, and teenagers aged 15 to 19. Officials from both the police and the district council described the accident as the worst mining disaster the district has ever witnessed.
The Department of Disaster Management Affairs said it received the report and "treated it with urgency."
Despite government restrictions, informal gold mining continues in parts of Malawi, often without proper safety measures.
