Collapse of Illegal Mine in Colombia Leaves 13 Dead and 7 Injured

The death toll from the collapse of an illegal gold mine in southwestern Colombia has risen to 13, with seven people injured.

The incident occurred on Tuesday evening, while search-and-rescue teams faced difficulties because of the unstable terrain.

Freddy Gamez, an official with the government of the Nariño region, told local media that movements inside the mine caused a retaining wall to collapse onto the workers.

A regional government source said that the earth shifted and fell onto the miners following an explosion inside the mine.

Images published on social media show excavators working in a steep area, while emergency teams continue their efforts to stabilize the situation and resume the search.

Mining accidents are common in Colombia, especially in illegal operations, where safety measures and the necessary controls are often lacking.

One of the main factors linked to explosions in Colombian mines is the accumulation of gas.