Gold mine collapse in Venezuela leaves dead and buried

Residents mourn the tragic confirmation of the collapse of a gold mine that occurred on Tuesday (20), in the area of ​​the city of La Paragua, in the Venezuelan state of Bolivar. According to the local authority, Jorge Arseniga, at least 30 people died and about 100 others were buried there.

What caused the mine collapse?

The mine known as Pola Lucasirca, located about 750 kilometers southeast of Caracas, collapsed in an inaccessible area at around 3 p.m. local time. The causes of the collapse have not yet been determined.

Rescue challenges

For Edgar Collina Reyes, Bolívar State's Minister of Citizen Security, the true scope of the incident remains uncertain. Due to the difficulty of reaching the site, the secretary told CNN that he had confirmed only two deaths and two injuries so far. A more accurate assessment is expected to be made once the rescue team arrives at the collapse site.

Old problem

Bolivar state, a forested region located in the southeast of the country, has been suffering for years from illegal mining of gold and other minerals. In recent years, this informal activity, often carried out by criminal groups, has grown significantly, reaching the territory of Canaima National Park, located on the border between Venezuela and Brazil.

Previous events

The last major mine collapse occurred on December 8, 2023 at the Paraíba de San José de Ouadamaba gold mine, in Gran Sabana, also located in Bolivar state, where the last collapse of the Pola Loca mine occurred. At that time, a total of 10 deaths were reported.

However, the non-governmental organization SOS Orinoco condemns the seriousness of these activities, considering that the situation is worse than the official figures. In his latest publication in…

The repetition of these events highlights the urgent need for action by responsible bodies. As well as tightening security and supervision of mining activities in the area to prevent further tragic losses.