Some 60 gold miners are feared dead after heavy rains flooded two gold mines in Kadoma, 145 kilometres southwest of the capital, Harare, officials announced on Friday.
Local Government Minister July Moyo said "frantic efforts were being made to pump out water from the flooded shafts before retrieval of the victims".
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has already declared the area a “state of disaster.”
The miners, who were illegally panning for gold, entered the disused mine shafts Silver Moon mine and Cricket mine on Tuesday night, according to Zimbabwe Broadcasting Company (ZBC).
The state media added that a dam wall failed under the deluge, leading to massive flooding.
The government has launched a 170,000 euro appeal to pump out water, feeding the bereaved families and the (rescue) teams on the ground, transportation and burial of the victims.”
Civil protection teams are trying to drain the water from the mines, police inspector Clemence Mabweazara, spokesman for Mashonaland West province, told ZBC. He added that the water continues to rise
