At least 14 people were killed when a gold mine collapsed in El Callao, southeastern Venezuela, following days of torrential rain, authorities said on Monday.
Officials said a command post has been established to coordinate recovery operations, led by Brig. Gen. Gregory González Acevedo, head of the regional disaster response unit in Bolívar state.
The fatalities occurred in three shafts of the Cuatro Esquinas de Caratal mine, located about 850 kilometers southeast of Caracas, according to a statement posted on the state agency’s Instagram account.
Rescue teams have begun pumping water from the flooded shafts to reduce water levels before attempting to recover the bodies and locate any survivors still trapped underground.
Authorities said the reported death toll was based on information provided by fellow miners. Local firefighters said flooding from heavy rains caused the collapse of the vertical mining tunnels, known locally as ravines.
El Callao is a gold-mining town where much of the 30,000-strong population depends on mining for their livelihood.
Venezuela has extensive deposits of gold, copper, diamonds and other precious minerals. However, mining operations across the country are often poorly regulated, with unsafe working conditions frequently leading to fatal accidents.
