Illegal gold mine collapse kills 10 in Suriname
The miners are believed to have built their own tunnels to search for gold, a common occurrence in Suriname.
Small-scale miners work on the grounds of a gold mining concession in Sipaliwini district, some 150 kilometres southeast of Suriname's capital Paramaribo. / Photo: AP Archive
At least 10 people were killed after an illegal gold mine collapsed in the South American country of Suriname, authorities said.
Police, military officials and rescue crews were dispatched to the mine, which is located in the country's rural southern region.
The miners are believed to have built their own tunnels to search for gold, a common occurrence in Suriname, officials said on Monday.
It wasn't immediately clear what caused the collapse.
"There's still a lot of uncertainty," said President Chan Santokhi. "It's important that we now get the situation under control."
Santokhi was attending a government budget meeting when the incident occurred, forcing him to interrupt those speaking saying, "Something terrible is going on."
Suriname is known for its gold mines, with US and Canadian companies heavily invested in such operations. Informal gold mining also has increased in recent years.
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