At least three people were killed when a quarry collapsed in
Kokotoni village, Malindi, Kilifi County.
The victims included a man and his wife aged 39 and 34,
police said.
The other victim was a woman aged 38.
Malindi Deputy County Commissioner David Lusava said the
victims were mining stones when the tragic incident occurred on Thursday.
A search and rescue mission was conducted in the rubble, but
no more bodies or survivors were found.
The official said the quarry had been shut down by the
government last year after it was deemed a safety hazard to the surrounding
community.
Despite the closure, some individuals continued to operate
in the area, leading to the fatal incident.
Rescue operations went on as emergency teams worked to
locate and retrieve any remaining victims if any and reported late in the night
the site had been cleared.
Witnesses at the scene raised concerns over delayed
response, saying faster intervention could have helped to rescue the deceased.
Authorities urged the public to avoid unsafe mining sites
and adhere to government directives on closed or condemned operations as
investigations into the incident continue.
Many locals venture into such mining sites to eke a living.
Meanwhile, at least one person died and several others were
seriously injured following a road accident in the Githurai area of Nairobi on
Wednesday morning.
Kasarani Sub-County Police Commander Emmanuel Rono confirmed
the incident, stating that three passengers were seriously injured, while nine
others were treated for minor injuries and transported to Kenyatta National
Hospital for treatment.
Witnesses said the accident occurred when a matatu traveling
from Nairobi's central business district to Thika lost brakes and collided with
a motorcycle carrying a pillion passenger.
“The matatu was racing towards Thika. Upon reaching
Githurai, it hit a motorcycle that had a woman and a few items, including goat
heads,” said a witness.
“The motorcyclist fell off , but the vehicle ended up
trapping the woman underneath. We lifted the matatu and pulled her out, but it appeared
she had already died.”
Authorities have launched
an investigation into the incident, and efforts are ongoing to determine the
exact cause of the crash.
