More than 30 people are believed to be trapped in an open pit mine in Chingola district on the Copperbelt, Zambia, after a mining accident, local media reported on Friday.
Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Jack Mwiimbu said the affected are trapped as a result of earth collapsing.
“May I just inform the nation that we have a tragedy brewing in Chingola.
“We have more than 30 people under the rubble” in a makeshift mine”, Mwiimbu told parliament.
However, the mines ministry did not comment on the incident but noted that it would make an inspection first at the site in the Chingola region, which is about 400 kilometers north of the capital Lusaka.
Zambia is one of the world’s largest copper producers and Chingola is in the country’s copper-belt region.
The region has one of the world’s largest open-cast copper mines and some of the waste hills are 100 metres high.
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