Naduat Gold Mine Disaster: Three Feared Dead as Rescue Operations Continue

By Turkana Correspondent 

A tragic accident has rocked the community of Naduat in Nakalale Ward, Turkana North, after a gold mine shaft collapsed on six artisanal miners on Monday afternoon.

Three miners are feared dead after being trapped underground since 2:00 PM yesterday. Authorities have managed to rescue three miners, including one today, who was found alive but with a broken arm.

Eyewitnesses report that the mine caved in without warning during routine operations, trapping the six miners. Two survivors were rescued by evening and rushed to a nearby hospital. The third survivor, identified as Ewesit, spent the night trapped under the rubble. He told rescue teams that three more miners remain trapped underground.

Ewesit described how he was unable to free his hands from the debris, a harrowing account that has spurred urgent rescue efforts led by the Kenya Red Cross, Turkana County Government, and security officials. The teams are using a standby excavator in their operation.

The sudden collapse has plunged the local community into shock, with workers and residents initially scrambling to assist before professional rescue teams arrived on-site.

In response to the disaster, several County Executive Committee Members (CECMs), including Leah Audan Lokala (Tourism, Culture, Natural Resources, and Climate Change), David Maraka (Administration and Disaster Management), and Triza Amoni (Energy and Mineral Resources), visited the scene to coordinate rescue efforts and console the affected families.

Speaking at the site, CECM Audan Lokala reassured the public of the county’s unwavering commitment to saving lives and ensuring the safety of artisanal miners in the region.

"Our priority is to rescue the trapped miners and ensure the safety of all other artisanal miners in the area. We are working closely with all disaster response teams to expedite this operation and prevent such incidents in the future," said Lokala.

The incident has raised serious concerns about safety standards in artisanal mining, which provides livelihoods for hundreds of residents in Turkana North. County officials have since cordoned off the site and urged miners to suspend activities until the rescue mission is completed.

The Turkana County Government has also pledged to review safety protocols at artisanal mining sites and implement long-term measures to improve the safety and welfare of miners.

Further updates on this developing story will be provided as rescue efforts continue.