A devastating landslide has left 22 people dead at a mine in Bariadi District, Simiyu Region, northern Tanzania.
"It is with great sadness I received the reports of the deaths of more than 21 people following a landslide at Ng'alita mine in Bariadi district, Simiyu region," President Samia Suluhu Hassan says in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
"These fellow Tanzanians were small miners in the area, trying to earn a living for themselves, their families and contributing to the development of our nation," she says.
"Our defence and security agencies, in cooperation with regional leaders, are continuing with efforts to find other bodies that are still stuck in the rubble," adds President Hassan.
Speaking to reporters on January 14, 2024, after two days of rescue work that began immediately after the accident at 11am on the morning of January 13, 2024, Simiyu Regional Fire and Rescue Acting Commander Faustine Mtitu said that the bodies of the people said to have been inside the mine when the tragedy occurred had been recovered.
"After two days of continuous rescue work, a team consisting of citizens, soldiers, and experts from various government forces and institutions has successfully recovered the bodies of all those who were buried by the landslides. We have satisfied ourselves that there are no bodies left inside the mine," said Commander Mtitu.
Speaking about the incident, the Gold Mine Chairman, Mr Masumbuko Jumanne, said that those who lost their lives in the accident entered the mine illegally due to the suspension of mining activities.
"This disaster occurred when the management suspended mining activities to provide an opportunity to implement instructions and directives on safety mining issues from mine inspectors who visited us one day before the accident," said Masumbuko.
He added that before the accident, the mine management, in collaboration with security forces, removed other people who had sneaked their way into the mine at night.
"While the management was dealing with those who had entered the mine illegally, another group of miners sneaked into the mine after outsmarting the guards, leading to the tragic deaths," said Masumbuko.
Simiyu Regional Commissioner, Dr Yahaya Nawanda, has announced the suspension of mining activities in the mines until safety mining procedures are observed.
Mineral Resources Minister Anthony Mavunde, accompanied by RC Nawanda, several government officials, and executives, arrived in Ikinabushu Village, where the mines are located, and were to continue with assessment meetings before issuing a statement and government instructions.
