BAMAKO, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- The collapse of an illegally operated gold mine in western Mali on Saturday has killed 50 people, a local official said on Sunday.
The tragedy occurred in Bilalkoto, a village in the commune of Dabia, located in the Kenieba district of the Kayes region.
A local official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that the collapse was triggered by a Caterpillar machine falling onto an artisanal mine where a group of people were working in search of gold. The rescue operation has concluded, and no one remains trapped under the rubble. A total of 49 women and one man lost their lives in the incident.
Malian Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maiga said Sunday night that the government would take "relentless" measures in response to the mining disaster.
Mali is one of Africa's major gold producers. However, local authorities struggle to regulate illegal mining activities, and artisanal miners often work under extremely hazardous conditions, leading to frequent and often deadly mining accidents.
On Jan. 29, a gold mine collapse at a mining site in the Danga area of the Kangaba district, Koulikoro region, killed 13 people. ■
