Four miners died and one reported missing after a gold mine collapsed in Kayanga village, Kyamuhunga Sub-county, Bushenyi District on Tuesday.
By 1 pm, the rescue team had recovered four bodies of the miners, while one body had not been retrieved.
Kayanga village residents said the collapse could have been caused by the overnight rain that pounded the area.
“The rain started at around 1 am, and it didn’t stop until dawn. This ground is like porridge when it gets wet. We had told them earlier to wait and at least go there tomorrow when it’s dry, but when you are hungry, you have to look for what to eat, although they didn’t know how it would end,’’ Mr Moses Ayebare, a veteran miner and resident of Kayanga village, said.
Ms Sarah Ahumuza, who operates a small food stall near the site, said she was preparing tea when she heard the collapse.
“After the heavy morning rain, you could feel the earth was heavy. We all ran there, but the mud was so thick. If it had not rained, those boys would be coming for evening tea by now, but that water turned a gold mine into a grave,’’ Ms Ahumuza said.
The village, like many other parts of Uganda, has a long history of artisanal gold mining often conducted without proper safety precautions, leaving miners highly vulnerable and exposed to danger