West Pokot, Kenya – June 16, 2025
One person has been confirmed dead and several others are feared trapped following the collapse of a gold mine in the Kambi Karaya area of West Pokot County.
According to police reports, the incident was reported at Marich Police Station at approximately 5:30 p.m. Rescue efforts are currently underway, with teams from the National Police Service (NPS), Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), and the Kenya Red Cross coordinating the operation.
“At Kambi Karaya area, an unknown number of artisanal gold prospectors are believed buried alive. Efforts are underway to retrieve any casualties. One female casualty has been retrieved deceased,” the NPS said in an official statement.
The full extent of the casualties remains unknown as emergency responders continue to sift through the rubble in a race against time to locate survivors.
This tragedy comes just ten days after a similar incident in Karon village, Turkwel area, also in West Pokot, where four miners lost their lives when a pit collapsed in the early hours of June 7.
The back-to-back accidents have reignited public concern over the safety conditions of artisanal mining operations in the region. Leaders and civil society groups are now calling for tighter regulation and the enforcement of safety standards to prevent further loss of life among small-scale miners.
Authorities have urged residents to stay away from the site to allow for an unhindered rescue operation. Investigations into the cause of the collapse are ongoing.
Written By Rodney Mbua
