An update today confirms that 8 miners have so far been rescued in the mining shafts in Battlefields, where more are trapped. Between 60 and 70 are feared dead.
The 8 survivors are said to have escaped to higher ground when the incident happened on Wednesday night.
Said deputy chief mining engineer of the government, Tapererwa Paswavaviri:
“We are yet to assess and find out if there are any more people down there who are still alive, but indications are that some of the guys succumbed to gassing, that was the major cause of fatalities.”
The small scale miners were trapped at Cricket Mine, (which is owned by RioZim Ltd) and another privately owned mine shaft.