Blue Nile, October 07 (Darfur24)
At least four people were killed and three others injured after a gold mining well collapsed in the Al-Hamoura area of Wad Al-Mahi locality, Blue Nile State, local sources told Darfur24.
The sources called on the relevant authorities to strengthen safety measures at mining sites and require miners to comply with occupational safety standards to reduce the risk of collapses and protect workers.
Meanwhile, a mining worker and an employee of the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company in Blue Nile told Darfur24 that all mining machinery had been withdrawn from the Balqwa and Hamoura areas amid deteriorating security conditions.
The sources said clashes involving the Sudanese army, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their ally, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), had prompted miners and other workers to leave the two areas.
More than 3,000 people work in traditional gold mining in the region, along with workers employed by several mining companies, according to sources.
They said Balqwa and Hamoura are among Blue Nile’s gold-producing areas and provide an important source of income for local communities. However, escalating fighting has disrupted much of the mining activity and forced companies to withdraw their machinery.