TURKANA – Six miners remain trapped underground after a gold mining pit collapsed on Friday, August 14, at a site in Naduat, Nakalale Ward, Turkana County. As of Monday, August 17, rescue teams have yet to establish whether the trapped workers are still alive.
A joint rescue operation involving the Kenya Red Cross, security officers, county officials, local miners, and heavy machinery is currently underway to clear debris and reach the collapsed section.
Local miners who understand the underground terrain are playing a critical role by guiding responders through possible access points, while excavators work to clear the shaft. However, the mission is progressing slowly due to highly unstable ground conditions that pose severe risks of a secondary collapse.
Anxiety continues to mount among families and the local community, prompting a senior security official to urge the public to disregard unverified social media reports. Following a site assessment by county officials and Red Cross personnel on Sunday, authorities emphasized that no survivors or bodies have been recovered yet, and it remains too early to confirm the condition of the miners.
The Naduat collapse highlights the persistent dangers faced by artisanal gold miners in Turkana, who frequently work in remote areas with poorly reinforced shafts, inadequate ventilation, and little access to protective gear or emergency response services.
The incident also follows long-standing regulatory concerns; in 2025, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) ordered the closure of over 200 unlicensed mining sites along River Turkwel due to safety hazards and severe environmental contamination.
While gold mining serves as a vital income source in regions like Turkana South, miners often rely on informal middlemen and operate without safety oversight. As broader questions emerge regarding safety standards and regulation across Turkana’s mining sector, the immediate focus remains on the ongoing race against time to reach the six trapped workers.
