Two children have died and their mother seriously injured after a gold mine collapsed in Katikekile Sub-county, Moroto District.
The incident occurred at Lokapirio Village, where 23-year-old Keem Keregai and her two children, Calvin Amuria, 3, and Nakiru Joan, 1, were trapped after the mining pit they were inside suddenly caved in.
Eyewitnesses said the two children died instantly after being buried under the debris, while local miners launched a rescue operation to save their mother.
Jeremy Sagal, a local miner who participated in the rescue efforts, said the operation was made difficult by the lack of proper equipment.
“We tried our best to save the family, but we only had rudimentary tools such as hoes and spades to dig through the collapsed soil,” Sagal said.
Keregai was eventually pulled from the rubble with serious injuries and rushed to Moroto Regional Referral Hospital, where she is currently receiving medical attention.
Karamoja Regional Police Spokesperson Mike Longole confirmed that police responded to the incident and launched investigations into the cause of the collapse.
“A team led by ASP Alfred Olila, the Officer in Charge of Moroto Central Police Station, was dispatched to the scene, and investigations into the cause of the collapse are underway,” Longole said.
Police have since appealed to mining communities to stop involving children in mining activities and avoid working in unstable pits that expose miners to life-threatening risks.
“We urge members of the public to keep children away from mining sites and ensure that mining activities are conducted in safe and stable areas to prevent such tragic incidents,” Longole added.
The accident adds to growing concerns over safety in Karamoja’s artisanal mining sector, where many miners operate in unstable pits with limited protective equipment, increasing the risk of collapses and other mining-related accidents.
Authorities have continued to call for improved safety measures and stricter adherence to mining guidelines to protect communities involved in gold extraction.
