At least 22 people were killed in Tanzania when an illegal gold mine collapsed. This happened as a result of heavy rain.

The accident occurred in a small mine in the north of the country, when a group of people between the ages of 24 and 38 went to work there. In the Simio region, it is prohibited to extract gold from mines due to heavy rains.

Local authorities say there were initial reports of 19 or 20 people trapped underground, but 22 bodies were eventually recovered. The rescue operation still excludes the presence of more people under the rubble.

A few weeks ago, the group discovered that there was a lot of gold in the area and began mining before obtaining permission. This permission is necessary, among other things, for safety reasons.

Despite warnings to stop, the miners continued working.

The government has put in place strict safety measures for small-scale mineral extraction. This has not been able to stop illegal extraction. Tanzania is the fourth largest gold producer in Africa, after South Africa, Ghana and Mali.