MANILA – Three people were killed and six others were still unaccounted for when an open pit coal mine in the central Philippines collapsed on Friday due to heavy monsoon rain, a local government official said.
Advertisement
The five missing workers have also been identified as heavy equipment operators.
Following the tragedy mining operation were suspended following the incident and an investigation has been launched.
According to Lavega, the island had been experiencing fair weather since Wednesday.
Rosario Cabrera, director of the Regional Office of Civil Defence, said a portion of the mining site collapsed following a landslide.
There were only nine workers at the site when the accident happened, said Isidro Consunji, CEO of Semirara Mining & Power Corp, confirming they were buried alive by the landslide.
Three bulldozers, one giant backhoe and dumptrucks were buried by the landslide, Lavega added.
Workers at the huge coal mine hail from Antique and Mindanao.
Antique Governor Rhodora Cadiao said she ordered the operator to stop work at the Panian Pit until the missing workers have been found. Nine people are believed dead in a coal mine collapse in remote central Philippines July 17, 2015.
For its part, the Semirara management condoled with the families of the victims as it vowed to give them full support. The company may issue a statement later.
Advertisement
The February 13, 2013 incident had left at least five miners dead at Semirara, the country’s only large-scale coal producer.
