Rescue operation continues for 14 trapped miners in Tanzania

Rescue operation continued on Saturday for 14 miners who were trapped after a gold mine collapsed in Tanzania's northeastern region of Geita, authorities said.

On Thursday, 14 people, including a Chinese national, were trapped inside the mine when its walls collapsed.

The Chinese-invested mine is in a remote area near Nyarugusu area on the western shores of Lake Victoria in Geita region.

Medard Kalemani, Tanzania's deputy minister for Energy and Minerals, suspended all mining activities for other mines which are close to the collapsed mine so that miners can team up in the rescue operations.

"We want all stakeholders in the mining sector in Geita to work as one team so that our colleagues who are trapped inside are rescued," the official said when he visited the affected mine site.

According to Kalemani, the rescue team involved experts from the nearby mines, including Geita Gold Mine (GGM).

"The rescue team now struggles to find a better way of providing the victims with food and water," he stressed.

"There is a big hope that all the trapped people were alive, that's why we're looking on better strategies that will make them get food for them to survive," the minister said.

Elias Kyunga, Geita Regional Commissioner, was optimistic that the trapped miners will be rescued. However, he declined to say the exact date when the operation will be successful.

source: Xinhua