Gold mine collapse in Venezuela kills at least 14

BOGOTA, Colombia

At least 14 miners died in El Callao, a mining town in the southern Venezuelan state of Bolivar, after a gold mine collapsed due to intense floods that have recently affected the country.

The disaster followed strong, four-hour-long rains that began Sunday afternoon, according to local reports. The heavy downpours immediately flooded the underground caves, killing 11 miners located inside. Another three miners died after being caught near the motor pumps used to extract water at the mining worksite.

The miners became trapped in three wells, each between 30 and 40 meters (98 and 131 feet) deep, which were suddenly overwhelmed by the massive overflow of water while they conducted underground extraction work.

The National Risk Management System confirmed the information, explaining in a statement that the accident took place at a mine known as the “Cuatro Esquinas de Caratal” mine situated about 850 kilometers (528 miles) southeast of the capital Caracas, close to the borders with Guyana and Brazil.

The organization detailed that authorities are now extracting water from the flooded area as a necessary step before they can recover the bodies. Rescue operations involve at least five security, rescue and civil protection agencies alongside army units. The official casualty count is based on statements from miners who successfully escaped the flood.

Videos shared on social media show the difficult efforts of rescuers and colleagues pulling bodies out from the mud and standing water.

Environmental protection organizations have long warned that the mining operations in the region function under extremely dangerous conditions.

The economy of El Callao largely depends on gold extraction, supporting the majority of its 30,000 residents.

The incident underscores the risk inherent in exploiting Venezuela's extensive mineral resources including gold, copper and diamonds, as these operations often lack the sufficient controls or adequate infrastructure needed to prevent fatal accidents.