Mine collapse confirmed in Venezuela with fatalities

authorities of Venezuela confirmed to EFE this Wednesday the collapse that occurred on Tuesday evening in the ‘Bulla Loca’ mine in Bolívar state (southern, on the border with Brazil), which left several deaths and an undetermined number of wounded, some of them still buried.

Secretary of Civil security of Bolívar state, Édgar Colina -who is on his way to that area-, told EFE that he can confirm, for now, two dead and two injured who were transferred to a health center in the region, while Yorgi Arciniegathe mayor of the town of Angostura, where the mine is located, talks about at least 30 dead and more than 100 buried.

Colina explained that he hopes to arrive at the scene in order to specify the number of dead as a result of the collapse and make more precise statements.

On its part, Bolívar Operational Zone for Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (Zoedan)in the report published this Wednesday, he pointed out that it was a surface mine of an “artisanal mine”, in which “some miners were injured and buried with planks”.

According to the entity, the help and rescue was carried out by the miners themselves.

Last May, at least twelve people died of suffocation in a mine located in Bolívar, which was hit by intense rains recorded in recent days, regional authorities reported at the time.

Bolivarian government agencies published through social networks the statement of Colina, who confirmed the event that took place in the Talavera mine, located in the municipality of El Callao.