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Tanzanian mine floods

A mine flood in Tanzania left at least 75 miners missing, all of whom are feared to be dead, a government official said Saturday. CNN

Heavy rainfall in northeastern Tanzania near the town of Arusha lead to the mine collapse, which operates as a mine for a rare gem called Tanzanite, a government official said. Reuters

Six bodies have been recovered so far, a journalist and an owner of the mine said.

The government is attempting to drain the mines to retrieve the workers, Manyara Regional Commissioner Henry Shekifu said. The rainfall is causing problems such as power outages for the rescuers.

The mines are dangerous to work in, for they are little more than holes dug hundreds of feet deep with little safety precautions taken, CNN said.


Previous accidents have occurred, including another collapse ten years ago, when more than 100 miners died,
CNN said.


Posted by Moira Kenny on March 29, 2008 10:00 PM | Permalink

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